"While staying with my Dutch friends at the Cape," replied she, "I often saw it, and at once recognized the leaves on Shark Island. Once knowing the secret, the preparation of the dish is extremely simple; the leaves are soaked in water, fresh every day, for a week, and then boiled for a few hours with orange juice, citron, and sugar." At last came the day when Fritz was to make his trial trip with the cajack. Completely equipped in swimming costume--trousers, jacket and cap--it was most ludicrous to see him cower down in the canoe and puff and blow till he began to swell like the frog in the fable. All trace of his original figure was speedily lost, and shouts of laughter greeted his comical appearance. Even his mother could not resist a smile, although the dress was her invention. I got the other boat out, that my wife might see we were ready to go to his assistance the moment it became necessary. The cajack was launched from a convenient shelving point, and floated lightly on the sea-green ocean mirror. Fritz with his paddles then began to practice all manner of evolutions; darting along with arrowy swiftness, wheeling to the right, then to the left; and at last, flinging himself quite on his side, while his mother uttered a shriek of terror, he showed that the tiny craft would neither capsize nor sink. Then, recovering his balance, he sped securely on his further way. Encouraged by our shouts of approbation, he now boldly ventured into the strong current of Jackal River, and was rapidly carried out to sea. This being more than I had bargained for, I lost no time in giving chase in the boat, with Ernest and Jack; my wife urging us to greater speed, and declaring that some accident could not fail to happen to "that horrid soap bubble." We soon arrived outside the bay, at the rocks where formerly lay the wreck, and gazed in all directions for signs of the runaway. After a time we saw, at a considerable distance, a faint puff of smoke, which was followed by the crack of a pistol. Upon this we fired a signal shot, which was presently answered by another, and, steering in the direction of the sound, we soon heard the boy's cheery halloo; the cajack darted from behind a point of land, and we quickly joined company. "Come to this rocky beach," cried Fritz; "I have something to show you." With blank amazement we beheld a fine, well-grown young walrus, harpooned and quite dead. "Did you kill this creature, my dear Fritz?" I exclaimed, looking round in some anxiety, and half expecting to see a naked savage come to claim the prize. "To be sure, father! don't you see my harpoon?" I wished Fritz to keep close to us, that we might all arrive together; but I yielded to his earnest wish to return alone as he came; he longed to act as our avant-courrier, and announce our approach to his mother; so he was soon skimming away over the surface of the water, while we followed at a slower rate. [Illustration: THE WALRUS]