d the example of his companions, and also,
in spite of his anxiety, fell fast asleep. When morning dawned, the
gale had altogether ceased. The sea was blue and shining, the lagoon
calm almost as a mirror. The whole shore was strewn with pieces of the
wreck and portions of the cargo. The party were soon on their feet.
The place on which they had been thrown was a small islet, scarcely more
than fifty yards wide, and five or six hundred long; a group of trees, a
few bushes, and a sprinkling of coarse grass being the only vegetation
upon it. The whole sea, as far as the eye could reach, was covered with
similar islets, few of them of larger dimensions, while some were
smaller, mere rocks rising out of the ocean. The difficulty of escaping
from such a place was very great, as no vessels were likely to pass near
so dangerous a portion of the sea, while the island afforded no means of
building a boat, nor of supporting existence. As soon as the lieutenant
had aroused himself, however, he directed his four companions to
accompany him to the beach, that they might look for whatever had been
thrown on shore. Eagerly they searched on either side. At length Bill
espied a cask. They hurried towards it, and dragged it up out of the
reach of the water.

"It looks as if it had beef or pork in it," observed old Grim; "but
unless we can get some biscuit and some water, it won't do us much good,
as I can tell you from experience."

"But what do you think of this cask?" cried Bill, running on a little
farther. "This is bread--I am sure of it by its looks. Maybe we shall
get some water too. We have no cause to complain. See! Here's a
chest, too. It's the carpenter's; and if we put our hands to the work,
perhaps we shall be able to build a boat, or raft of some sort, and get
to the mainland."

Numerous other articles were found and hauled up. Still no casks of
water--the great want of all--had been discovered. They had been
labouring for some time, having already collected a number of articles,
when Tommy caught sight of several objects floating round the farther
end of the island at no great distance from the shore. He shouted out
to his companions, and they all ran in that direction. They were soon
seen to be casks, mixed up with pieces of the wreck. The difficulty,
however, was to get hold of them before they were swept away.

"If we could but make a bit of a raft, now," said Jack, "I would not
mind going out wit