n, however, it was really ready for
the reception of their seedling potatoes and other vegetables, with the
guano well dug in.

"Hurrah!" exclaimed Fritz, as he and Eric began fixing a piece of line
across the fresh mould, so as to be able to make the furrows straight
for the potatoes, which they had ready cut in a basket, only pieces with
an "eye" in them being selected, "now, we'll soon be finished at last!
When we've put in the cabbage seed and onions, I think we'll have a
holiday for the rest of the day."

"Right you are," said Eric, in high glee at the prospect of a little
respite from the arduous toil they had been engaged in almost since they
had landed. He would have struck work long before, had it not been for
Fritz labouring on so steadily, which made him ashamed to remain idle.
"I tell you what we'll do to celebrate the event, now the garden is
done. We will have a feast there."

"I don't know where that's to come from," observed Fritz in his sober
way, just then beginning to place carefully the pieces of potato in the
drills prepared for them. "I don't think there's much chance of our
having any feasting here."

"Oh, indeed," replied Eric; "am I not cook?"

"Well, laddie, I haven't noticed any great display of your skill yet
since we landed," said Fritz dryly.

"Ah, we've been too busy; you just wait till I have time, like this
afternoon. Then you shall see what you shall see!"

"No doubt," said Fritz, laughing at this sapient declaration. "However,
I assure you, brother mine and most considerate of cooks, I'll not be
sorry to have a change of diet from the cold salt pork and biscuit on
which we have fared all the time we've been gardening."

"How could I cook anything else, when you wanted me here?" replied Eric
indignantly, handing the last piece of potato to put in the sole
remaining drill. "I couldn't be up at the hut with my saucepans and
down here helping you at the same time, eh?"

"No," said Fritz, proceeding to give the plot a final rake over; after
which he sowed some cabbage seed and onions in a separate patch, while
Eric put in the peas and scarlet runners which the skipper had given
him. "We'll consider the past a blank, laddie. See what you can do
with your saucepans to-day; you've got the whole afternoon before you."

"All right," replied Eric. "Only, you must promise not to interfere
with me, you know; mind that, old fellow!"

"What, I have the temerity to offer advice t