Part 18 (1/2)

”Ah, well, I won't taste that,” said Steve; and he went on to where his coreat outstretched bear's skin, which they were cleaning and dressing so that it should be perfectly preserved Johannes was seated on a stool with a keg between his legs, the little tub being turned up to for head of the slain ani fro the scraps overboard to the great cloud of sea-birds which wheeled and darted and pounced down upon everyjob!” said Steve

”Think so, sir? Oh no, it's clean enough--quite fresh” And he threw over a handful of bear-flesh, after cutting it in small pieces

”Why did you do that?” asked Steve

”To give all the birds a chance”

”Oh! I say, how hungry they seem!”

”Yes, they do, sir I often wonder how they live at all in the stormy times”

Steve watched till the last scrap had been snatched from the crystal clear water, and then looked round as the Norsements which he had scraped from the et fat on the young birds when they can reach theet fat on the bear”

”Why, it's liketheir own children second-hand”

”Yes, sir,” said Johannes, pausing to whet his curious knife; ”but that's how things are One lives upon another Birds, beasts, and fishes, they're all alike But this will lass eyes put in, and the whole stuffed out a little It will et ho the poor brute,” said Steve shortly ”Here, where's ? Skeny!”

There was a sharp bark in answer, but no dog appeared

”Where is he? Here, Skeny, Skeny!”

The dog answered with another sharp bark, and, directed by the sound, the boy advanced to find the collie curled up on a tarpaulin right forward under the bowsprit

”Hullo, old chap! why don't you coave his tail a few short raps on the tarpaulin withoutup from the furry hair in which his nose was buried

”Not ill, are you?” continued Steve, bending down to pat his coiven pain

”He's only trying to sleep it off, sir,” said Johannes, scattering so ”I felt hiood bit bruised, but no bones broken”

”Did he let you--didn't he try to bite?”

”Oh no,” said thewon't bite you when he's hurt, if he knows you want to do hi rapped the tarpaulin with his tail, and then lay curled up a little closer, perfectly still

”It's wonderful, sir, how soon ani

A few licks, a little going on short food, and plenty of sleep, and they soon come round One may do worse than imitate them sometimes”

Steveto say; but he could not help wondering what Mr Handsob would think, as he got up on the bowsprit just where it passed out over the vessel's prow, held on by the rigging, and had a good look round But on his left there was nothing but the long, low ice cliff; on his right the glittering sea, flecked with grey sea-birds floating above or calave Skene a pat, proalley, but just then Johannes had turned the skin back over the bare skull, pretty well restoring the shape of the head, and he held it up

”Make a grand ornament, sir, when it's done Fine ivory teeth, hasn't it?”