152 Sea £gP Shore Birds 



Well ! the boat was steadied as far as was possible 

 from being rocked by the swell, and Bang ! 



Everybody began yelling, and no one for a moment 

 listened to what the other person said. 



The big seal was shot ! 



With the blood pouring from the poor brute's side, 

 he managed to roll into the sea, where he lay floating, 

 the waters dyed crimson around him. 



" Shoot him again," said one boatman. 



" No, no ! get the boat up to him," said the 

 other. 



" Oh ! poor beast," said I, as one felt that his jolly, 

 free, rollicking life was over. 



" Give me another bullet," yelled the Slayer. 



" Sit down ; pray, sit down," shrieked the ladies. 



" Quick ! he's sinking," said another voice. 



The great brute gave a heave. 



The boat was urged up to him, but it was too 

 late ; with a sad look in his dying eyes, the seal sank 

 under the blood-stained waters like — well ! I was 

 going to say "a sack of coals," but that sounds so 

 unpoetical ; I think I had better be more original 

 than that, and say — like nothing I ever saw before, 

 or, for the matter of that, ever want to see again. 



Like Nanki-Poo in the " Mikado," I can't bear 

 killing ; and I never shall forget the day when I 

 accidentally sat on a dormouse ! 



That was, at any rate, better than a certain don of 

 a great University, who, having settled himself steadily 

 on the sofa upon a comfortable-looking arrangement 

 of cushions, arose with a horror-struck countenance, 



