us--very unlike, indeed, the genial
spell they had experienced in the previous year; but, really, from the
month of August, a succession of gales had set in from different points
of the compass and the navigation was so dangerous that it would not
have been safe to have ventured out beyond the bay. Indeed, as it was,
the whale-boat got so much knocked about by a heavy sea, which came
rolling in on the beach one night when they had not drawn her up far
enough, that she was now far too cranky for them to trust their lives in
her in bad weather.

However, one fine day, late in November, with all their shooting and
hunting gear, in addition to a supply of provisions for a week or ten
days, they set sail from the bay bound westward round the headland,
intending to have a regular outing.

Seals they found plentiful enough, the animals having returned to their
breeding haunts much earlier than the year before. They seemed,
besides, so tame that the new-comers must either have been quite a fresh
family of the mammals, or else the brothers had stolen a march on the
Tristaners and would therefore have the advantage of the first assault
on the seals.

There was nothing like taking time by the forelock, and so, without
frightening the animals by any display of hostility, the brothers
quietly landed their traps in a little creek some distance away from the
principal cove they frequented; and then, the two organised a regular
campaign against their unsuspecting prey.

Eric with a rifle and harpoon got round the seals by way of the land;
while Fritz, equally well provided with weapons, assailed them from the
sea in the boat, both making a rush together by a preconcerted signal.

Their strategy was triumphant this time; for, after a very one-sided
battle between the intrepid seal killers on the one hand and the
terrified, helpless creatures on the other, eighty-five victims were
counted on the field of battle--six of the animals being sea elephants,
and five sea bears, or "lions," a species having a curious sort of curly
mane round their necks, while the remainder of the slain consisted of
specimens of the common seal of commerce.

"Why, brother, this is grand!" exclaimed Eric, as he and Fritz counted
over the spoil. "But, how shall we get the blubber and skins round to
the bay? Our boat will never carry them all in her leaky state."

"Well, laddie, I thought you were the inventive genius of the family,"
said the other. "C