then, did they pick up their guns and think of the
goats, which had hitherto led a charmed life as far as they were
concerned.

They soon noticed, however, that, in lieu of the large number they had
observed when they last saw them, the flock had been now reduced to
five. The Tristaners must evidently have paid another visit to the west
coast since they had met them there when going sealing the previous
season; and, this second visit the brothers put down to the instigation
of the whilom "deck hand," who had no doubt incited the islanders to do
everything they could to annoy them.

Fritz only shot one goat, leaving "Kaiser Billy" and the other three, on
the chance of their numbers being afterwards increased. He and Eric
then went for a hunt after the wild pigs, killing a fine young porker,
which they roasted on the plateau and made a feast of at their camp.
The flesh, however, was very coarse, tasting fishy and rank, probably on
account of the pigs feeding on the penguins, the young of which they
could easily secure by going down to the beach by the same pathway that
the brothers had climbed.

Fritz and Eric stayed ten days on the western shore; but during all the
time they remained they only were able to capture eleven more seals,
which made up their quota to ninety-six. Eric longed to run it up to
the even hundred, but they did not see another single mammal, although
they remained a day longer on the coast than they had intended.

This delay led to the most disastrous consequences; for, a gale sprang
up right in their teeth when they were on their way back to the bay with
the goat and the remaining sealskins, which they had not taken the
trouble of transporting across the plateau, but took along with them in
the boat.

It was something wonderful to notice the sea, which a short time
previously had been so placid, presently running high with mighty
rollers, that threatened each moment to engulf their little craft; and
they had to allow her to run before the wind some little time for fear
of getting her swamped.

This danger avoided, a worse one arose, which Fritz had not thought of,
but which soon became apparent to the sailor lad, his intelligence
heightened by his former painful experience when adrift in a boat at
sea, out of sight of land.

"I say, Fritz," he cried; "we are leaving the land!"

"What?" asked the other, not understanding him.

"We are getting away too far from the island; and if we go o