The birds did this as suddenly as they had left; although they did not come all together, as at the period of their migrating from the island.
It need hardly be said that Fritz and Eric welcomed them joyfully as the early swallows of the coming summer; for, as the summer advanced, their life would be more varied, and there would be plenty for them to do.
Besides, the brothers had not forgotten Captain Brown’s promise to return at this period and visit them with the Pilot’s Bride, the arrival of which vessel might be expected in a couple of months or so.
The male penguins were the first to make their reappearance in the bay, Eric returning to the hut with the news of this fact one morning in August.
“I say, Fritz,” he called out, when yet some distance off from their dwelling—“I’ve just seen two penguins down by the sea!”
“Have you?” exclaimed the other eagerly. “That’s good news.”
“Is it?” said Eric. “I didn’t think you cared about them so much.”
“Ah, I’m looking out for their eggs,” replied Fritz.
“Why, you never seemed to fancy them last year, old fellow,” said the sailor lad surprised. “What means this change of view on your part?”
“Well, you know, when we arrived here first, the birds were already sitting; and, I certainly confess I did not care about the eggs then, for they would probably have been half addled! Now, however, if we look out each day, we can get them quite fresh, when they’ll be ever so much better. Young Glass told us, as you ought to remember, that they tasted very nice and not in the least fishy.”