se that we should either put
about ship and fly in terror from the spot, or land valorously on the
island and sell our lives as dearly as we can."

"I vote for landing; so pull in, lads!" said Jack, giving a stroke with
his oar that made the boat spin. In a few seconds we ran the boat into
a little creek, where we made her fast to a projecting piece of coral,
and running up the beach, entered the ranks of the penguins, armed with
our cudgels and our spear. We were greatly surprised to find that
instead of attacking us, or showing signs of fear at our approach, these
curious birds did not move from their places until we laid hands on
them, and merely turned their eyes on us in solemn, stupid wonder as we
passed. There was one old penguin, however, that began to walk slowly
towards the sea; and Peterkin took it into his head that he would try to
interrupt its progress, so he ran between it and the sea and brandished
his cudgel in its face. But this proved to be a resolute old bird. It
would not retreat; nay, more, it would not cease to advance, but battled
with Peterkin bravely, and drove him before it until it reached the sea.
Had Peterkin used his club he could easily have felled it, no doubt;
but as he had no wish to do so cruel an act merely out of sport, he let
the bird escape.

We spent fully three hours on this island in watching the habit of these
curious birds; but when we finally left them, we all three concluded,
after much consultation, that they were the most wonderful creatures we
had ever seen, and further, we thought it probable that they were the
most wonderful creatures in the world!

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

AN AWFUL STORM AND ITS CONSEQUENCES--NARROW ESCAPE--A ROCK PROVES A SURE
FOUNDATION--A FEARFUL NIGHT AND A BRIGHT MORNING--DELIVERANCE FROM
DANGER.

It was evening before we left the island of the penguins. As we had
made up our minds to encamp for the night on a small island whereon grew
a few cocoa-nut trees, which was about two miles off, we lay-to our oars
with some energy. But a danger was in store for us which we had not
anticipated. The wind, which had carried us so quickly to Penguin
Island, freshened as evening drew on to a stiff breeze, and before we
had made half the distance to the small island, it became a regular
gale. Although it was not so directly against us as to prevent our
rowing in the course we wished to go, yet it checked us very much; and
although the force of th