tance.

No boat, however, was discernible; nor indeed could they see the ship.
They began to grow somewhat uneasy. What could have become of her? Had
she steamed away and left them to their fate? but that was not at all
likely to be the case. The boatswain had been for some time quiet, and
a loud snore showed them that he had fallen fast asleep. Desmond was
the first to speak. "I say, Tom, what do you think of our trying to
knock some of the birds on the head while they're asleep on their nests;
we might in a little time kill as many as we should have shot; and if we
could return with a boatful, we should, at all events, not be laughed
at, as we shall be if we go back empty handed."

Tom was perfectly ready, and, armed with their paddles, they set off
along the beach, creeping quietly forward, in the hopes of coming
suddenly upon a colony of the birds. On and on they went, but no birds
could they find, the fact being that the tide was low, and they had kept
close down to the water instead of making their way over the dry sand.
This they did not find out till they had got to a considerable distance.
Turning off inland, they, however, quickly found themselves in the
midst of hundreds of birds, when they began to lay about them right and
left, knocking over vast numbers; those they missed only poking out
their long necks, and quacking and screeching at them.

"I thought we should have good sport," cried Desmond, highly delighted;
"we shall surprise the old boatswain when he wakes by and by and finds a
pile of birds close to him."

On they went for some time, till they found themselves among a colony of
a different species, who, instead of tamely submitting to be knocked on
the head, flew up with loud screams, and attacked them with the greatest
desperation. The midshipmen, of course, fought bravely, wielding their
paddles with some effect, while they retreated to the beach. Their
assailants then took to flight, and they set to work to collect the
birds they had knocked over. Some had partially recovered, and showed
fight with their beaks when they attempted to catch hold of them, so
that they had to give a good many the _coup de grace_ before they could
throw them over their backs. Having each collected as large a load as
they could carry, they set out to return to the canoe along the line of
hard sand. The road seemed much longer, as they were now heavily laden,
and it was some time before they came near the