THE MILK POND OYSTERS. 63 



seen everything, and don't want your leave to jump 

 in the water, get some oysters, and take my share of 

 pearls. However, if you've no objection, we'll strike 

 up a partnership, and shall make our profit of it.'' 



Jack bit his lips with rage; but there was no 

 remedy for it. "Very well," he cried, "let us be 

 partners. Of course we shall neither of us say 

 anything about it, and meantime we must always fish 

 together, and the price of the produce will be 

 divided between us. Pray, what is your name ? " 



" Drake ! Junius Drake, at your service." 



" There is my hand then, my dear Drake. Let 

 us continue to fish together as friends and brothers." 

 And, upon this, Jack threw himself into the water, 

 and was speedily followed by his companion. 



"Not to make a long story of it, before the day 

 came to an end the two partners had gathered 

 about three hundred oysters, in which they found 

 seventy-one pearls of various sizes, some as large as 

 a hazel-nut, but all round, plump, and iridescent.* 



* The shape of a pearl of good quality depends upon the situation in 

 ■which chance has placed the nucleus or seed. If it be between the 

 fleshy cloaks of the mollusk, the constant movements will give the 

 pearl a rounded form. If the pearl be deposited in the hinges, its 

 form will be compressed, and if it touches the bottom of the shell, so 

 that the creature is unable to move, it will adhere to the enamel 

 or take an eccentric form. There are pearls of different colours, 

 — white, rose-coloured, yellow, grey, blue, and completely black. 

 This variety of colour is derived from the nature of the soil on which 

 the mollusk is found, and to the gases and different elements which 

 float about in the circumambient element in which it is Ijorn, grows, 

 and dies. 



