"
"What is this plant, Ready?"
"I don't know, William."
"Then I think I had better make a collection of all those you don't
know, and take them back to father; he is a good botanist."
William pulled a branch of the plant off, and carried it with him. On
their arrival at the next patch of trees, Ready looked at them
steadfastly for some time.
"I ought to know that tree," said he. "I have often seen it in hot
countries. Yes, it's the guava."
"What! is it the fruit they make guava jelly of?" said William.
"Yes, the very same."
"Let us now walk in the direction of those five or six trees," said
William; "and from there down to the rocks; I want to find out how it
is that they are so white."
"Be it so, if you wish," replied Ready.
"Why, Ready, what noise is that? Hark! such a chattering, it must be
monkeys."
"No, they are not monkeys; but I'll tell you what they are, although I
cannot see them; they are parrots - I know their noise well. You see,
William, it's not very likely that monkeys should get here, but birds
can, and it is the birds that we have to thank for the bananas and
guavas, and other fruits we may find here."
As soon as they came under the trees, there was a great rioting and
fluttering, and then away flew, screaming as loud as they could, a
flock of about three hundred parrots, their beautiful green and blue
feathers glistening in the beams of the sun.
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