ere they are," said Desmond, producing the eggs from his pocket; "they
may perhaps have a strong flavour, but, as you say, one shouldn't be
particular."

"If we'd but a fire we might make an omelette of them," observed the
boatswain, holding one of the eggs in his hand, and preparing to crack
it, so that he might gulp off its contents. Scarcely, however, had he
done so, than he threw it from him, exclaiming, "Faugh! it's as bad as
the essence of a slave-hold."

"We thought it might be pretty strong, Mr Large," said Desmond,
stuffing his wet handkerchief into his mouth to prevent himself from
laughing; "but try the other, perhaps that is sweeter."

As Mr Large was not a man to be knocked down by an egg, he did as he
was advised, but the odour which issued from the second was even worse
than that of the first, and, throwing it to a distance, he declared that
it would be long before he would try another duck's egg.

Gerald asked Mr Large if he had any tobacco and a pipe. "I have the
first, young gentlemen, and thank you for reminding me of it; but how is
the pipe to be lighted without a match?" he replied; "but I'll take a
quid, though I've given up chawing since I became a warrant-officer; I
used once to indulge in it. I wouldn't advise you, though, to do so,
for it's very likely to turn your insides out."

Mr Large had his reasons for giving this advice to the midshipmen,
seeing that he had only tobacco sufficient to form a decent-sized quid
for himself. It comforted his heart, and, advising his companions to
follow his example, he once more lay down to sleep. They tried to do
so, but they had not been quiet for many minutes before the birds found
them out, and, with loud screeches came flying above them, quickly
awakening the boatswain, who declared that he believed they were imps in
the form of birds, and would to a certainty attack them again if they
had the chance. Tom said he thought so too, and that he remembered
reading at school about some harpies who lived on an island, and played
all sorts of tricks--that was in the Mediterranean, but he saw no reason
why the same sort of creatures should not be found in the Indian Ocean;
perhaps they had flown to this very island, as they certainly were no
longer to be found in their old locality.

This information did not much comfort poor Mr Large. At last a bright
idea struck Gerald. "Let's turn the canoe bottom upwards, and creep
under her; the beasts can't f