He, poor fellow, enjoyed this sea spinach greatly; he could no longer swallow meat.
While Hazel was feeding him, a flight of ducks passed over their heads, high in the air.
Welch pointed up at them.
"Ah!" said Helen, "if we had but their wings!" Presently a bird was seen coming in the same direction, but flying very low; it wabbled along toward them very slowly, and at last, to their great surprise, came flapping and tried to settle on the gunwale of the boat.

Welch, with that instinct of slaughter which belongs to men, struck the boat-hook into the bird's back, and it was soon dispatched.

It proved to be one of that very flock of ducks that had passed over their heads, and a crab was found fastened to its leg.

It is supposed that the bird, to break its long flight, had rested on some reef, and perhaps been too busy fishing; and caught this Tartar.
Hazel pounced upon it.

"Heaven has sent this for you, because you cannot eat turtle." But the next moment he blushed and recovered his reason.
"See," said he, referring to her own words, "this poor bird had wings, yet death overtook her." He sacrificed a bowl for fuel, and boiled the duck and the crab in one pot, and Miss Rolleston ate demurely but plentifully of both.