antities. The doctor and Captain Twopenny had also gone out
every day with their guns in search of wild-fowl; but they were
compelled to be very economical of their powder, of which they had only
a limited supply. Before long that must come to an end. What then was
to be done? Should the seals go away altogether, unless they could
entrap the birds by some means or other, they would run a fearful risk
of starvation.

While Harry was considering this important matter, Paul Lizard appeared
with a good-sized cod which he held up triumphantly as he came towards
the village. "I have brought this for Mrs Morley and the other ladies,
sir," he said; "and if I had some proper hooks I could get as many as
would serve all hands. I often used to catch fish when I was a boy; and
so I thought I would just knock out a couple of hooks from crooked
nails, and see, what could be done. I took young Broke down with me;
and before long we got plenty of bites, but not one could we hook, till
at last I caught this fellow."

"There will be no difficulty in getting the hooks," said Harry. "We
will set the armourer's mate to work to try what he can do for you."
The bellows had fortunately been kept in good order, the stove serving
as a forge, and a block of stone as an anvil. In the course of an hour,
under Paul's superintendence, a hook was produced which satisfied him
thoroughly. This served as a model for others. Some long sticks were
cut for rods, while the mussels made excellent bait. Taking two other
men with him, Paul hastened back to the part of the shore where he had
caught the cod. In the course of a couple of hours the party returned,
laden with as many fish as they could carry. The supply was indeed most
welcome, and they were received with warm congratulations from Mrs
Rumbelow, who forthwith set the women to work to clean and cook as many
as were required. The poor children especially were in want of a change
of food. Though they had apparently suffered but little from exposure
in the boat, several were now ill, and demanded the doctor's constant
attention. Little Bessy was among the invalids; and hoping that she
might benefit by being removed from the other children, the Miss Morleys
offered to take charge of her. From that day she became the inmate of
their cottage, and was a constant source of interest.

Paul and young Broke, with Tom Wall and another man, were now regularly
constituted the fishermen of the se