serve us for bread, if
we cannot find anything better;" and the doctor tasted it two or three
times.

"Yes, there is an abundance of saccharine in it," he observed, "and I
have little doubt also that we can manufacture beer from it, which will
suit the tastes of the men better than cold water, and serve instead of
tea for all of us when our store runs short. If we find nothing else
during our expedition, we should be well satisfied. But remember that,
however insignificant a plant may look, we should examine it thoroughly
to ascertain its character."

"I have seen plenty of those leaves at no great distance from the
village," said Peter Patch; "but I had no idea that there were roots
under them."

"Ah! so much the better; we shall have a supply of food at our doors,
and when we return you shall go out and dig them up, Peter," said the
doctor, who perhaps, rather doubted the correctness of the midshipman's
assertion.

Willy and Peter in their eagerness frequently went ahead of the rest of
the party. The latter was a little in advance of his companion, when he
uttered a loud cry. "Oh! there is another of those horrid brutes." At
that instant a fierce bellow was heard, and a huge tiger bull-seal
started up and gazed fiercely at the midshipmen. They grasped their
axes to attack the seal; but the animal, rushing forward, warned them
that "discretion was the best part of valour." With such short weapons
they could not hope to strike it without the risk of being seized by its
formidable tusks.

"Run, Dicey, run," cried Peter; and Willy, brave as he was, felt that it
was prudent to follow Peter's example. The seal came after them at full
speed, bellowing loudly. His voice and their shouts brought the seamen
to their assistance; but the animal, seeing fresh foes in front, turned
aside, and before the men could reach it, dashed at a rapid rate through
the bush.

The doctor and captain now joined the chase, and away they all went, the
seal bellowing and the men shouting and laughing. The doctor, who was
not so active as the rest of the party, was soon distanced. The captain
in vain attempted to get a shot at the animal's head; he knew that a
wound in any other part of the body would produce no effect. On went
the seal, down the side of the mountain, following a well-marked track.
"Where he goes we can follow," cried Willy; "come on, come on." The
seal soon showed that he could not only run for a short distanc