Tweren't your fault," soothed Toby. "Don't think of un. 'Twere like
Dad says, you got to worryin' and worry were makin' the insides of your
head upsot."

"Your father always says not to worry, but the Lord will help us out of
any fix, if we do our best first," said Charley. "He's right. Isn't it
just great, Toby, that you saw it and shot it! I feel like yelling, I
feel so happy!"

"Just get out and yell all you wants to," grinned Toby. "We'll have one
good feed, whatever."

In remarkably short time the owl was plucked, dressed and boiling
merrily over the fire in a kettle that was becoming rusty from disuse.

"We'll be eatin' the broth first, and then the meat a bit at a time, and
often," suggested Toby. "The Indians says if they eats too much when
they first gets un after starvin' 'tis like to make un sick. Sometimes
they gets wonderful sick, too."

"Then we'll be careful," agreed Charley, "though it's mighty hard not to
pitch right in. I feel as though I could eat it all and then want more."

"So does I," grinned Toby, "and I'm not doubtin' you could eat un all,
and I knows 'twould be easy for me to eat un."

How delicious the broth tasted, unsalted and unseasoned as it was! And
when they drank it all, and temptation got the better of them and they
each ate a small portion of the meat.

"'Tis growing calmer on the water," Toby announced when he had covered
the kettle and hidden its contents from their hungry eyes. "I sees un
when I'm out and sees the owl in the tree. The water's smokin' just fine
now. Come and have a look, Charley."

"All right," said Charley reluctantly rising, though cheerfully. "If I
stay here by the kettle, I'll not be able to leave the meat alone, and
one of us mustn't have any more of it than the other."

Down on the sunny side of the island Charley all at once clutched Toby's
arm.

"What's that?" he whispered excitedly, pointing to a dark object lying
upon the rocks just above the water's edge.

XIV

THE BAY FASTENS

"Down!" whispered Toby. "Keep down where you is! Don't move! 'Tis a
swile!"

Charley lay prone upon the snow, scarcely daring to move, and Toby was
gone in a twinkling, moving as silently as a fox. It seemed an age that
Charley lay there before he discovered Toby edging, rifle in hand, to a
rock behind which he might have good vantage ground for a shot.

Charley, tense with excitement lest the seal might take alarm, watched
Toby's every movement as he w