Eric longed to run it up to the even hundred, but they did not see another single mammal, although they remained a day longer on the coast than they had intended.
This delay led to the most disastrous consequences; for, a gale sprang up right in their teeth when they were on their way back to the bay with the goat and the remaining sealskins, which they had not taken the trouble of transporting across the plateau, but took along with them in the boat.
It was something wonderful to notice the sea, which a short time previously had been so placid, presently running high with mighty rollers, that threatened each moment to engulf their little craft; and they had to allow her to run before the wind some little time for fear of getting her swamped.
This danger avoided, a worse one arose, which Fritz had not thought of, but which soon became apparent to the sailor lad, his intelligence heightened by his former painful experience when adrift in a boat at sea, out of sight of land.
"I say, Fritz," he cried; "we are leaving the land!" "What ?" asked the other, not understanding him.
"We are getting away too far from the island; and if we go on like this, we'll never get back." "Good heavens, what shall we do ?" said Fritz.
"I'm sure, I can't say," replied Eric despondently.
"Can't we put back ?" "No; we'd be upset in an instant, if we attempted it." "Then, we're lost!" exclaimed Fritz.

"The land is now growing quite faint in the distance and each moment it sinks lower and lower!" This was not the worst, either.
The afternoon was drawing to a close; and, the sky being overcast, darkness threatened presently to creep over the water and shut out everything from their gaze..