“I’ll just have five minutes of a nap,” he said, “and then get on again.”

So down he lay.  But his five minutes lasted for an hour, and still the lad lay fast asleep.

A large gray fox stole up and smelt the rabbit.

“That’ll just suit me,” said he to himself.  “I’ll go and call my brothers and sisters, and we’ll kill this two-legged creature and steal his rabbit.”

“Yap-yap-yap!” barked the fox, and soon he had a whole pack round him.  But just as they were getting near to Tom, he awoke and sat up.  Bang went his rifle at once, as he saw his danger.  One fox fell dead, but the others came on with a rush, and there was soon a lively fight.  Tom laid about him with the butt end of his rifle, and, being a strong young fellow, dead and dying foxes were soon lying all round him.

The rest of the pack drew back a little way, only to come on again, yelping and yelling more than ever.  Poor Tom’s wrists were dripping with blood, for he had been bitten in many places.  He thought it was all over now, yet he meant to fight to the last.

But help was at hand, for the next moment Briton bounded into the centre of the spiteful pack, and the savage beasts fled in every direction.

What a happy meeting that was!  The mastiff led Tom back over the hills, and in an hour’s time he was safe and sound at the cave.

Pansy wept with delight, and Aralia bound up Tom’s wrists.  He made very light of the bites, however.

There were many pieces of old black wood in the cave, so Frank collected them and lit a fire; and when it was quite clear, the rabbit was roasted, and everybody made a splendid dinner.

Then Tom told them all he had seen; and, after a night’s rest, they all started off the next morning for the lake and the island, taking the skins and rugs with them.  They reached the long ridge of rocks and crossed over.  Then, indeed, were the girls surprised and delighted.  What a lot they would have to tell Father and Mother when they got home again!

Tom sighed.  He feared in his own mind that they would never, never see their home any more.

When Flossie saw the lake she made a spring towards it and dived below the surface.  They could see her darting about beneath, and soon up she came, looking as pleased as Punch, with a fine, great fish in her mouth.  She laid it gently at Pansy’s feet, and dived in again.

“I’ll be happy here,” she seemed to say, as she brought another fish, “and we need never be hungry any more.”

After Tom had well explored the island, he told Frank they must build a fort.  He had found the very spot for it, too, on a little hill.  This was about a hundred feet high, and the top was hollow, like a cup, with only one opening into it.  In fact, the top of the hill was part of the crater of an extinct volcano, and was shaped like the letter G, the doorway being only a gap in the rocks, through which no bear could squeeze.