ic. "Look, here, at this
lot, Fritz! I believe we can have a dish of them to-day."

"What, to keep up the festival with?" said his brother, smiling. "I see
you are still thinking of that; but, methinks, green peas at Christmas
will be rather an anachronism!"

"Hang the what-do-you-call-it--oh, anachronism!" cried the lad
impulsively. "When we're at Rome we must do as Rome does."

"I don't remember, though, that the citizens of `The city on the seven
hills' ate peas in December, as far as my reading of the classics go,"
remarked Fritz ironically.

He liked to "pick up" his brother sometimes in fun.

"Ah, that was because they were pagans, and didn't keep up our Christmas
ceremonies!" cried Eric triumphantly. "Still, Romans or no Romans, I
declare we'll have a rare banquet to-day, brother, eh!"

"No roast beef, I hope!"

"Oh no, bother it--something better than that! You just let me alone
and you'll see bye-and-bye!"

"All right, laddie, I don't mind leaving the cooking in your hands,
now," said Fritz kindly, wishing to blot out the recollection of his
last remark. "You have had experience since your first memorable
attempt, which I must say was perhaps excusable under the
circumstances."

"You are a brick, old fellow," responded Eric, much pleased at this
speech. "Only trust matters to my hands and, I promise you I'll not let
you have any opportunity to find fault with me a second time!"

"Very good; that's agreed," said Fritz; and, after thus settling
matters, the two then went about the garden, gathering its produce--the
elder digging up some new potatoes for trial, while Eric picked all the
early peas that seemed fit, quite filling a good-sized basket which he
had brought with him; although Fritz, who had not been so thoughtful,
had to put his potatoes in a handkerchief.

On their way home, the brothers passed through the deserted penguin
rookery, with never a bark or a grumble from the whilom excited birds as
they tramped the well-worn paths which they had made from the thicket to
the beach.

The inhabitants of the feathered colony were now educating their little
ones in the art of fishing; and, the scene in front of the bay was quite
enlivening as the birds swam about gracefully in curves, losing in the
sea that ungainliness and ugly, awkward appearance which seemed
inseparable from them on land, and prosecuting their task, without any
of the noise that had distinguished them while breeding.