Ensign Holt and the party of emigrants he was leading made very good progress on their journey towards the settlement. The only grumbler was Mrs Clagget, as she trudged on with a long stick in her hand, sometimes by the side of the Diceys, and at others addressing her remarks to Mrs Jones. However, as it was so evident that she talked for the sake of keeping her tongue in motion, no one minded her. She regained her good humour when, soon after mid-day, the party halting for dinner, fires were lighted, and steaks frizzling before them. They had had woods to cut through, boggy ground to cross, and rugged stony hills to climb. She, however, got along as well as any one, and her example encouraged the other women who had to travel on foot. Their spirits were revived when their young leader told them that they were within a mile of the settlement. The last of the party were climbing the ledge of rocks which formed one side of the sandy bay when, on looking back, they saw several men following. "Why, I do believe they are those fellows who would not work yesterday," observed one of the emigrants. "And there is that ill-conditioned chap, Job Mawson, among them. I cannot help thinking they mean mischief." The mutineers, for such they evidently were, on seeing the party, hurried on; but as they got halfway across the sandy shore of the bay, a huge seal suddenly darted out of the wood, and seeing the men running, made chase. He soon overtook the nearest, whom he knocked over, giving him a fierce bite, and then rushed at the next, whom he treated in the same way. Willy and Peter, who had stopped on the top of the ridge to rest, hearing the cries, looked round. "Why," exclaimed Willy, "that is our old friend Tippo Sahib, and he is giving those fellows their deserts." Tippo Sahib sure enough it was. The mutineers, who had never seen such a creature before, seized with a panic, ran off in all directions, two or three overtaking the party of emigrants. "No, no, we don't want you fellows," cried the men. "You be off now, or you will be sorry for it." Two of the mutineers humbly petitioned to be allowed to keep with the party, when Willy at length told them that they might do so if they would behave better in future. The rest by this time were nowhere to be seen, having run into the wood to escape, as they hoped, from the strange beast which had attacked them. As the travellers neared the settlement, Mrs Morley, with her daughters and Mrs Twopenny, came out to welcome them. The former invited Emily and May to their cottage, while Mrs Clagget, introducing herself to Mrs Twopenny, told her she should be happy to take up her abode with her.