m shell, with the concave side
uppermost.

This made an improvised stew pan. Underneath was piled small bits of dry
drift-wood, which a match soon set on fire. In a little while the water
in the big shell was boiling.

"Now get some other shells for dishes," said Jack to Mark.

Soon Mark had piled up a lot of smaller shells.

"Help me gather some eggs now," said Jack, "and we'll put them in to
boil. Then we'll invite the rest of the folks to breakfast."

The two boys soon uncovered from the sand a pile of the eggs, and in a
little while they were steaming in the hot water. Then Jack arranged the
shell-dishes on the sand. He went over to where the others were gloomily
considering their plight.

"Breakfast is ready," he announced.

"This isn't any time for joking," spoke Professor Henderson, rather
sternly.

"But I mean it," went on Jack. "Just come over and see. I'm not fooling
you."

Wondering what he had done they all followed him.

"Welcome to Hotel Terra del Fuego!" cried Mark. "We haven't much of a
variety, but what there is we can recommend."

He began to dip the eggs out of the water with a bit of shell and placed
them on the improvised dishes.

"Everyone sit down," commanded Jack. "The bill of fare is ready."

They all joined in the short laugh that followed, and soon were seated
in a circle about the beach-oven. The eggs proved to be very good, even
though there was no pepper. The salt of the sea water they were boiled
in was more than sufficient.

"Now if there was only bread in that ammunition bag Washington brought
with the gun," said Andy, "we wouldn't want a better meal."

"He'p yo'se'f!" exclaimed the colored man with a grin as he extended a
canvas bag that was tied to the stock of the electric gun.

The old hunter opened it and found it filled with ship biscuits.

"Well I am stumped!" he exclaimed.

"I grabbed up de wrong thing in my haste," Washington explained. "I
thought I had de electrical lightning bullets, but I didn't. Howsomever
de gun's got some in de chamber."

"It's a lucky mistake," commented the professor as he munched a biscuit
and an egg. "Bullets are good but these are better, when one is
hungry."

They managed to make a fairly good meal, so that even hungry Nellie was
satisfied. The boys found a spring of fresh water up on shore, and this
furnished something to drink, for which they were grateful.

They sat about on the beach, after the breakfast and discussed w