ss this night in
the fog would be bad enough; but if it should happen to rain also, his
situation would be miserable indeed.

He now set out for the beach, and found, without much difficulty, some
pieces of wood which were necessary to his purpose. Bringing these
back, he next looked about for a good situation. There was a rock not
far from the fire, and in front of this was a smooth spot, where the
land was flat, and covered with short grass. On the left it sloped to
the brook. This seemed to him to be the best place on the island. It
was sufficiently sheltered. It was dry, and in case of rain the water
would not be likely to flood it. With all these it also possessed the
advantage of being sufficiently conspicuous to any passing vessel which
might be attracted by the signal-staff. Here, then, Tom determined to
erect his place of residence.

His first work was to select two long and slender pieces of wood, and
sharpen the ends of them. Then he drove each of them into the ground
in such a way that their tops crossed one another. These he bound fast
together. Two other stakes were driven into the ground, and secured in
the same way, about six or seven feet off. Another long piece of
scantling was then placed so as to pass from one to the other of the
two crossed sticks, so that it rested upon them. This last was bound
tight to the crossed sticks, and thus the whole structure formed a
camp-shaped frame.

Over this Tom now threw the sail, and brought it down to the ground on
either side, securing it there with pegs. At the back of the camp a
piece of the sail was folded over and secured so as to cover it in;
while in front another piece of the sail hung down until it nearly
reached the ground. This could hang down at night, and be folded over
the top by day. Tom now tore up some sods, and laid them over the edge
of the canvas on each side, where it touched the ground, and placed on
these heavy stones, until at length it seemed sufficiently protected
from the entrance of any rain that might flow down the roof. His last
task consisted in collecting a large quantity of moss and ferns from
the woods, which he strewed over the ground inside, and heaped up at
one end, so as to form a soft and fragrant bed. When this was
accomplished the camp was finished.

It had taken a long time, and when at last the work was done, it began
to grow dark. Tom noticed this with surprise. He had been working so
incessantly