it was
not affected by the tide; and here the land had been levelled in the
form of a parallelogram, some thirty feet long by twenty wide, round
which a trench had been dug about a foot deep.

At the four corners of this, stout posts, selected from some of the
deck-beams of the _Nancy Bell_ that had been secured for the under-
structure of the raft, were set up in holes excavated of such a depth
that they would firmly resist any lateral pressure brought to bear
against them by the wind; and, round the top of these uprights, a
scantling of deal had been nailed on, thus making the framework of a
good-sized cottage.

Mr McCarthy was quite surprised at the progress made.

"You've been pretty busy, sorr," he said. "Be jabers, you'll have a
cabin built in no time!"

"Yes," replied Mr Meldrum, "we have got along; but you must remember
we've had fourteen hands at work besides the carpenter, including Mr
Lathrope and myself; and such a number of men, when their labour has
been systematically divided, can accomplish a good deal in a short time.
I wish we had some more timber, though! We've got the roof yet to
make, and a partition or two in the inside for the proper division of
the building. I have planned out a separate room for the ladies, and
one for us men; in addition to a general sort of apartment, where we can
all have our meals together, and which will serve as a store-room as
well."

"Sure an' you don't think, sorr, we'll have to live here long!" said the
first mate, a little alarmed at the magnitude of the other's plans.

"Indeed I do," answered Mr Meldrum. "It is now only the beginning of
August, which is the worst season here, as I mentioned to poor Captain
Dinks; and the winter will probably last from four to five months;
during which time, according to all accounts that I've read of the
place, we may expect to experience the most bitter weather, and have to
depend entirely on our own resources; for, none of the whaling schooners
that go seal-hunting in these parts ever visit the island, as far as I
know, before November or December--and even then they go generally to
the eastern side and do not come here! Before that time, however, that
is as soon as the snow melts and the spring sets in, we'll have to try
and cross over the land to one of the harbours which the whalers
frequent, and which I've got marked on the chart. Until that period,
Mr McCarthy, as you must perceive, we will have to remain here; so