rother. "I dare say a fellow would
get the cramp before he had well-nigh cleared the bay."

"Well, I never saw such a chap for throwing cold water on any suggestion
one makes!" exclaimed Eric in an indignant tone. He was almost angry.

"It is cold water this time with a vengeance," retorted Fritz, laughing;
whereupon Eric calmed down again, but only to argue the point more
determinedly.

"Mind, I don't want you to go, brother," he pleaded. "I'm much the
stronger of the two of us, although I am the youngest; so, I'll try the
feat. It will be easy enough after rounding the headland, which will be
the hardest part of the job; but when I have weathered that, it will be
comparatively easy to reach the seal-caves. Once arrived there, I shall
only have to climb up to the plateau and shoot some pigs and a goat and
fling them down to you here, returning at my leisure; for, there'll be
no hurry. As for the swim back, it will not be half so difficult a task
as getting round there, for the wind and tide will both be in my
favour."

But, Fritz would not hear of this for a moment.

"No," he said; "if anybody attempts the thing, it must be me, my
impulsive laddie! Do you think I could remain here quietly while you
were risking your life to get food for us both?"

"And how do you expect me to do so either?" was the prompt rejoinder.

"I am the eldest, and ought to decide."

"Ah, we are brothers in misfortune now, as well as in reality; so the
accident of birth shall not permit you to assert a right of self-
sacrifice over me!" cried Eric, using almost glowing language in his
zealous wish to secure his brother's safety at the expense of his own.

"What fine words, laddie!" said Fritz, laughing again at the other's
earnestness, as if to make light of it, although he well recognised the
affection that called forth Eric's eloquence. "Why, you are speaking in
as grand periods as little Burgher Jans!"

Eric laughed, too, at this; but, still, he was not going to be defeated
by ridicule.

"Grand words or not, brother," he said, with a decision that the other
could not bear down; "you shall not venture upon the swim while I stop
here doing nothing!"

"Nor will I allow you to go and I remain behind," retorted Fritz.

"I tell you what, then," cried Eric; "as we're two obstinate fellows and
have both made up our minds, suppose we attempt the feat together, eh?"

Fritz urged at first that it was unnecessary for both to run t