“Yes, indeed. I know all about it,” replied Miss May, enthusiastically. “Serge has already told me how nobly you behaved when that horrid captain ordered you out to shoot the poor mother-seals. It was a perfectly splendid thing to do, and it was to show that I feel just as you do on the subject that I said what I did a few minutes ago.”
Phil’s face was again crimsoned, though this time the flush was not one of anger. It was very pleasant to be thus appreciated, but he was too honest a fellow to take all the credit to himself.
“Did he also tell you how finely he and Jalap Coombs backed me up on that occasion; and that if they hadn’t I should have been forced to give in at last?”
“No! Tell me,” exclaimed the girl, eagerly. “I love to hear of such things—I mean, of friends standing by each other through thick and thin, and being willing to undergo all sorts of suffering and hardship for the sake of what they believe to be right.”
So Phil told her of the stanch friends with whom he had been cast away on Oonimak, and they laughed together over “old Kite Roberson’s” wisdom until dinner-time. Then they separated, for Phil and Serge had accepted an invitation to dine with the officers in the wardroom.
To the great relief of the former, Mr. Ramey did not appear at this dinner, being compelled to remain on duty until some officer who had finished his meal would relieve him. The other hosts of the occasion formed just such a genial, jolly party of bright fellows as is to be met with in Yankee wardrooms all over the world, and the dinner proved a great success. Although our lads were slyly chaffed on all sides concerning their recent experiences, and the first-lieutenant’s account of how he had conducted them to the cabin as prisoners of war was received with shouts of laughter, the story of their adventures was listened to with closest attention, and both of them were complimented on their pluck in times of danger.
Early on the following morning the Phoca, steaming through the dense fog that nearly always envelops the Pribyloffs in summer-time, was suddenly surrounded by incredible numbers of screaming sea-fowl. Although the noise made by these was deafening, it was a welcome sound, for it was a certain sign of the vicinity of the island of St. George, whose precipitous cliffs are vast bird rookeries.
Two hours later the still, fog-laden air was pervaded by the far-reaching odor of the seal rookeries and killing-grounds of St. Paul. At the same time the dull roar of its restless seal millions filled miles of surrounding space, like that of a distant Niagara. The darting forms of fur-seals playing fearlessly about the ship were to be seen on all sides, while at safer distances bands of hair-seals and big sea-lions could easily be distinguished from their more graceful cousins. From fog-hidden Walrus Rock came the deep bass roaring of hundreds of the unwieldy long-tusked monsters from which that islet derives its name, though it is chiefly noted as being the site of one of the most famous bird rookeries in the world. Here, too, as had happened off the bluff coast of St. George a few hours before, sea-fowl swarmed about the ship with deafening cries, both in the water and in the air.
Feeling his way carefully with a lead, Captain Matthews, who had been here many times, took his ship around Reef Point and anchored her in three fathoms of water, well to windward of St. Paul, nearly a mile off shore, and so beyond the influence of its horrible odors.
“Now,” said he to Phil and Serge, after the vessel had been made snug, “I expect to remain here three days, unless driven from my anchorage by a sou’wester. During that time, while you would be heartily welcome on board ship, I should advise you to take up your quarters on shore, as there is so much for you to do and see that you would find it inconvenient to be constantly interrupted by coming off for your meals. The government and company people are always delighted to entertain visitors, and I will see that you have the proper introductions. Another bit of my advice is to put on your old Oonimak clothes, which will be in keeping with those universally worn on the island, and will prove more suitable to your explorations than anything else.”