Sword Fishes rushed at the reef, striking it 
again and again with their sharp swords 
in a vain attempt to pierce, or batter 
down the rock. Then they swam wildly 
about looking for an entrance large 
enough for them to pass through, but 
none was to be found, for the high, circu¬ 
lar reef shut in the lagoon where the two 
refugees lay, like a wall. 
At length, tired out with their ex¬ 
ertions, the two Sword-Fish gave up 
the chase, and being in a very ill- 
temper, and having no one else to vent 
it on, they began to quarrel with each 
other. 
“ It’s all your fault anyway,” snarled 
Slasher, the biggest and Grossest fish. 
“ How often have I told you to take my 
advice in these matters 1 We should 
have kept further under water, as I sug¬ 
gested in the first place, then we would 
