"I will get the coffee ready by the time you come back." "Good!" shouted Eric in return.

"Mind and make it strong too; for, I'm sure I shall want something to sustain me after all my exertions!" The day terminated without any further incident; although the wind having calmed down, the young fellows heard the penguins much more plainly through the night than previously.

Still, this did not much affect their rest; for in the morning they turned out fresh and hearty for another day's experience of gardening.
But, again, they were unable to finish the plot of land properly on this second day, to Fritz's satisfaction, so as to begin planting their seeds.

The ground was so hard and there were such numbers of roots and weeds to remove from the soil, that it took them up to the middle of the afternoon of the third day ere their little plot could be said to be clear of all extraneous matter.

Then, however, it was really ready for the reception of their seedling potatoes and other vegetables, with the guano well dug in.
"Hurrah!" exclaimed Fritz, as he and Eric began fixing a piece of line across the fresh mould, so as to be able to make the furrows straight for the potatoes, which they had ready cut in a basket, only pieces with an "eye" in them being selected, "now, we'll soon be finished at last! When we've put in the cabbage seed and onions, I think we'll have a holiday for the rest of the day." "Right you are," said Eric, in high glee at the prospect of a little respite from the arduous toil they had been engaged in almost since they had landed.