ter making their way through the bush for a short distance, the
rest of the party came upon an open space in which were at least a
hundred seals, apparently fast asleep, divided into three bands, which
the sailors called mobs, quite separate from each other. They were of
all sizes; some were huge bulls, others cows; and among them were a
number of young calves. The doctor told off two men to attack each mob.
Willy thought that it must be dangerous work to fight such formidable
creatures; still he was not inclined to flinch from it. The doctor
directed them to knock over the young ones, and not to mind the others,
unless the creatures should stand at bay, or attack them. "If they do,
we must give them a hard rap on the nose, which, depend upon it, will
settle them at once," he observed.

Having placed their guns against a tree, they grasped their clubs at a
sign from the doctor, who set them the example, and rushed in among the
seals. The animals waking up, stared at the intruders with
astonishment, while the doctor and his companions, wielding their clubs,
struck right and left at their heads. A single blow was sufficient to
kill the young ones, and in a few seconds more than a dozen were knocked
over. The larger animals, seized with alarm, instead of turning to
attack their assailants, scuttled off, moving themselves with their fins
at a rapid rate towards the water. Three, however, of the large seals
were killed, besides the smaller ones.

"Well done, my lads," cried the doctor, delighted. "We shall have
provisions enough to last all hands for several days. No fear of
starvation now, I hope. Dicey, do you and two of the men bring the boat
round to take the seals on board. Dick Sharp and Tom Wall, go with Mr
Dicey."

"Ay, ay, sir," said the men named.

Willy hastened off to obey the order, carrying his gun with him. He had
not gone far when a cry was heard. "Help! help! help! a savage brute is
at me." It was Peter Patch who was crying out. Willy and his
companions hurried on, and in another instant they caught sight of Peter
Patch scrambling up a tree, while a huge tiger-seal, as the sailors
called the creature, on account of the colour of its fur, was charging
at him with open mouth. Peter had barely time to draw himself up out of
the monster's way. The seal, seeing Willy and the other men
approaching, now came dashing on towards them, and they had to leap
actively out of its way to avoid its sha