Page:Aurora Australis.djvu/214

AURORA AUSTRALIS. attracted attention. An arm and then a head appeared followed quickly by the rest of the body. Silently the figure slipped on his boots and a moment later passed out of the tent with the intention of inspecting his specimen.

Almost immediately a wild commotion rent the air and, as we burst from the tent, a terrifying spectacle met our gaze. The beast we had left frozen a few hours ago had thawed out, and come to life as is the wont of the water bears when subjected once again to congenial conditions. In this case, however, the term of hybernation had been extended to centuries, so that no doubt in the interval this savage species had become practically extinct.

Our comrade was frantically struggling with his specimen, and into the mêlée we threw ourselves. The din grew louder and slowly but surely, out of the confusion rose a voice, which smote clear upon me. “Rise and shine you sleepers, 8-45, time for down table! ”

There in the passage was the horrid figure of the night-watchman replacing our washing-up bowl, which had just served him as a breakfast gong.

As I sleepily drew on my clothes, regretful at sacrificing Bathybia for Cape Royds, I meditated how