Much to the boys’ surprise, he apparently paid little heed to their approach, but continued his remarkable behavior until they were within a few yards. Then, to their amazement, they saw that the bird was fastened to the rocks by a piece of rope or line.
“Why, he’s tied down!” exclaimed Jim. “I wonder who did that.”
“I can’t imagine,” replied Tom. “But it’s a shame! He’ll just beat himself to pieces, or die of thirst and starvation. Come on, let’s untie him.”
But to release the bird was more of an undertaking than they bargained for. Every time the boys tried to approach, he would strike viciously with his enormously powerful wings, hiss like a gigantic snake and lunge savage, snapping thrusts with his strong, hooked beak.
“Gee, he is ugly!” cried Tom. “I’ve half a mind to leave him.”
But having once determined to free the bird, the two were not to be worsted so easily. Taking off their coats, and with Tom holding his sheath-knife ready, the two boys made a sudden dash at the albatross, and while Jim threw his jacket around the bird’s head and held his neck, Tom protected his head from the blows of the wings, and stooping quickly, cut the line. Then, leaping back, they watched the great bird as he flapped upwards with cries of triumph and sailed off out of sight.
“Ungrateful old brute!” laughed Jim. “Acts as tickled as if he’d got loose all by himself.”
“I wonder what he was tied to,” put in Tom. “Hello! Look here, Jim!” Reaching down in a crevice of the rocks, Tom drew out a bundle, or roll of frayed and weather-beaten tarred canvas attached to the stout, hemp lead-line which had bound the albatross.
“Well, that beats all!” exclaimed Jim as the two boys examined the package curiously. “It must have been tied to the bird’s leg and got wedged between the rocks when he alighted. What do you suppose it is!”
“Search me!” replied the other. “Let’s open it and see.”