crevice where she had chased the rat. I found the harrier was not
much damaged; a few feathers were bitten out and a little of the
skin was broken, that was all.

I put my harpoon and stick through the string that secured the
bird's legs and slung it over my shoulder, gathered up our
sealskin, and went to hurry up Tom and Robbie, for the tide was
rising and we had a long journey before us. Tom had just cut the
last of the skin from the seal's head, and when he had folded it
up, the three of us began our walk towards the further shore of the
bay, expecting Hercus to follow with the dog.

"Hello! what can be keeping Hercus so long?" asked Robbie, when we
had walked some distance.

I told him about the rat that the dog was after, and looked back
for Willie. Not seeing him, we concluded he had gone round by the
top of the cliffs, and we continued our way a few yards further.
Then we heard Hercus calling after us in an excited way.

"Come back, lads, come back!" he shouted; and I looked at the sea
line, fearing lest it was the rising tide that Hercus was warning
us against.

"I'm not going back," objected Tom. "We've got time to get to the
other side long before the water's up. Besides, I'm hungry. I'm
going home."

"Tut, didn't we wait for you while you skinned your seal? Let's go
back," I urged. "Maybe Hercus is hurt."