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Updated: June 2, 2025
Arrived there, Seagriff selects some of the finest twigs, which he rubs between his hands till they are reduced to a fine fibre and nearly dry. Rolling these into a rounded shape, resembling a bird's nest, click! goes his flint and steel a piece of "punk" is ignited and slipped into the heart of the ball.
But his professions ill correspond with his acts, as the aged sinner is actually detected stealing the knife of Seagriff himself, and from his person, too! a feat of dexterity worthy the most accomplished master of legerdemain, the knife being adroitly abstracted from its sheath on the old sealer's hip during the exchange of salutations.
For still another wonder is revealed to them ere closing their eyes in sleep the long continuance of twilight, far beyond anything of the kind they have ever experienced, Seagriff excepted.
The fugitives in the gig see fires on both shores fifty or more the lurid flames symbolising the fierce implacable hostility of the savages who have set them alight. "We're boun' to keep on till we've got 'em all astarn," says Seagriff. "So long's thar's a spark ahead, it'll be dangersome to put in.
"Jest so, Captain," assents Seagriff; "but tain't the weeds that's makin' those black spots. They're movin' about don't you see?" The skipper now observes, as do all the others, a number of odd-looking animals, large-headed, and with long slender bodies, to all appearance covered with a coat of dark brown wool, crawling and floundering about among the kelp, in constantly increasing numbers.
Closing in upon the land, they perceive a high promontory on the port bow, and another on the starboard, separated by a wide reach of open water; and about half-way between these promontories and somewhat farther out lies what appears to be an island. Taking it for one, Seagriff counsels putting in there instead of running on for the more distant mainland, though that is not his real reason.
Orundelico, left alone with the boat's people, remains by them but for a brief moment, urging them to flight also. "Oensmen bad very bad," he keeps affirming. "They worse than Ailikoleep more cruel. Kill you all if you stay here. Come hide in the woods there you safe." "What's to be done?" interrogates the captain, as usual appealing to Seagriff.
"What does the woman want?" asks Mrs Gancy, greatly puzzled; all the rest sharing her wonder, save Seagriff, who answers, with a touch of anxiety in his voice, "She wants to barter off her babby, ma'am, for that 'ere scarf." "Oh!" exclaims Leoline, shocked, "surely you don't mean that, Mr Chips." "Sure I do, Miss; neyther more nor less. Thet's jest what the unnateral woman air up to.
"Ical shiloke! Uftucla!" Seagriff throws himself in front, to shield him from their fury, and, with arms uplifted, appealingly calls out, "Ical shiloke zapello!" At this the old man makes a sign, as if saying the zapello is not worth their anger, and they retire, but reluctantly, like wolves forced from their prey.
All except Seagriff suppose it to be the work of the penguins he knows better what has done it. Not birds, but beasts, or "fish," as he would call them the amphibia in the chasing, killing, and skinning of which he has spent many years of his life. Even with his eyes shut he could have told it was they, by a peculiar odour unpleasant to others, though not to him.
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