their feet; but the treacherous sand giving way beneath them, they
rolled head over heels. Eric happily got free from his horse in time
to save himself from being crushed underneath it; but when they all
reached the bottom in a heap together, he could not escape the
frantically pawing hoofs, and one of them struck him such a blow upon
the head as to stun him.

When he recovered he found himself lying upon the sand, not a pony in
sight, and Prince licking his face with affectionate anxiety. His head
ached sharply, and he felt somewhat sore after his tremendous tumble;
but not a bone was broken nor a joint sprained. Thankful at having
gotten off so well, he made the best of his way back to the hut.

Ben was greatly pleased at the adventure, and regretted he had not been
there when ponies, boy, and dog rolled down the hill together.

"You ought to let your friends know when you're going to give a
performance like that, my lad," said he, after a hearty laugh. "It's
too good to keep to yourself."

"Perhaps you'd like me to repeat it for you," Eric suggested.

"No indeed, Eric. You got off all right that time, but you might break
your precious neck the next. How would you like to have a try at a
morse? The men tell me they saw a lot of them at the west end this
morning; and as you're so fond of hunting, there's something well worth
killing."

CHAPTER VIII.

ANXIOUS TIMES.

"How would I like it?" cried Eric, his face beaming. "Why, above all
things. I've often seen pictures of the great ugly creatures, and I
think it would be just splendid to shoot one and get his tusks."

"All right, my boy," replied Ben. "We'll start the first thing in the
morning."

Accordingly, the next morning the two set out upon their ponies for the
west end. Ben carried a heavy musket that would send a load of slugs
through a ship's side, and Eric a light smooth-bore, the accuracy of
which he had proved by frequent practice. As they would be away all
day, they took plenty of biscuits with them. Prince, of course,
accompanied them, and as soon as they had disposed of breakfast they
started.

There were many creatures to be found on Sable Island in those days
which would be vainly sought for now. Besides the ponies, a large
number of wild cattle and hogs roamed about the interior, and furnished
the wreckers with abundant meat; while during the winter the morse, or
walrus, and the great Greenland seal paid the beaches reg