But if the rock-pigeon is good to eat, its eggs must be excellent, and we will soon see how many they may have left in their nests!" "We will not give them time to hatch, unless it is in the shape of an omelet!" replied Pencroft merrily.
"But what will you make your omelet in ?" asked Herbert; "in your hat ?" "Well!" replied the sailor, "I am not quite conjuror enough for that; we must come down to eggs in the shell, my boy, and I will undertake to despatch the hardest!" Pencroft and Herbert attentively examined the cavities in the granite, and they really found eggs in some of the hollows.

A few dozen being collected, were packed in the sailor's handkerchief, and as the time when the tide would be full was approaching, Pencroft and Herbert began to redescend towards the watercourse.

When they arrived there, it was an hour after midday.

The tide had already turned.

They must now avail themselves of the ebb to take the wood to the mouth.