be seen of the doctor and Willy but masses of feathers.
Now and then some of the birds, who had only been stunned, began
fluttering about, and sticking their beaks into the bodies of their
captors, who, climbing down the steep rocks, were but ill able to defend
themselves. In spite of this, they succeeded in reaching the cove in
safety, where their appearance, as they expected, created no little
astonishment. Mrs Rumbelow, with some of her companions, quickly
relieved them of their burdens, and instantly began plucking out the
feathers of the birds, while the doctor and Willy again hastened off to
continue their rambles. After making their way over the hill, they
came, as they neared the beach, upon a large family of seals basking on
a small strip of sand in a little cove below them. The doctor was
delighted at the sight. "Now, Willy," he exclaimed, "we must have some
more of these phocae." The doctor in his eagerness was hurrying on,
rifle in hand, when his foot slipped, and he went sliding down a steep
rock. The rifle exploded, the bullet passing very near Willy's head.
Willy cried out, dreading that the doctor would be killed. Still he
continued his downward course, Willy making his way by a more circuitous
path as rapidly as he could towards him. At length the doctor reached
the bottom of the cliff, where he lay without moving. Willy hurried
towards him, expecting to find every bone in his body broken. Happily,
the sand was soft where he had fallen.

"Help me up, Dicey," he said, in a faint voice. "Where is my rifle; we
must do battle with the seals notwithstanding."

Willy soon assisted his friend to get on his feet; but when they looked
round for the seals, not one was to be seen; the sound of the rifle and
the doctor's and Willy's voices had put the whole family to flight. The
worthy doctor, after shaking himself, discovered, to his infinite
satisfaction, that no bones were broken, and in a short time was able to
scramble up the rocks again, to continue his search for water. Their
worst anticipations were realised; not a spot was found which gave the
slightest indication of there being water below it. The rock had been
searched throughout, and all hands returned to the cove with the same
report. They came, however, laden with as many penguins as they could
carry, and all the eggs that could be collected. There was now no fear
of suffering from starvation. The great difficulty was how to cook
t