'd be after talking about."

Thus incited by Desmond's wit, the boatswain determined to attempt
landing. "Now, young gentlemen, paddle away with a right good will," he
shouted out, moving farther from the stern. The midshipmen pulling away
with all their might, on flew the canoe, with every chance, apparently,
of reaching the beach, when the boatswain, turning his head over his
shoulder, saw a huge foam-topped sea come rolling up with unusual speed.
He shouted to his companions to paddle on. In half a minute more the
stern of the canoe would have touched the beach, but before it got
there, down thundered the sea upon them, deluging the boatswain, washing
the two midshipmen high up on the beach, and capsizing the canoe, which
it rolled up with Mr Large under it close after them. Picking
themselves up, without losing their presence of mind, they turned round
to see what had become of their companion, and were happily in time to
catch hold of him and drag him up before the following sea carried him
off.

"Thank you, young gentlemen; you've saved my life, and I've saved my
fowling-piece. But I'm afraid the muskets are lost, and, what's as bad,
so are the powder-horns and shot," said Mr Large.

"No, there's one of the muskets," cried Tom, as he caught sight of the
butt lifted above the surface amid the creamy water, and, rushing in, he
seized it, though the next sea nearly carried him off his legs.

"And there's the other," exclaimed Desmond; and, notwithstanding Tom's
narrow escape, he plunged in and secured it. The canoe was thrown up on
the beach, not much the worse, and the two paddles were saved. "I'm
afraid there's little chance of our finding our ammunition," said Tom in
a melancholy voice, not a bit minding the wetting, "and unless we can
manage to knock down the birds with our firearms, we shall have to go
back after all without any game to show."

"But we must manage by hook or by crook to catch some of them,"
exclaimed Desmond. "Sure we may catch them by the legs, if we lie
quiet, as they come flying by. There seems to be no end of young ones;
we may get hold of them, at all events."

While Tom and Desmond were discussing the subject, Mr Large was
watching the breakers, which came tumbling in every instant with
increased violence. "I am sorry to say, young gentlemen, that we've no
chance of getting off till the sea goes down," he remarked, "unless we
drag the canoe across the island, or a boat is s