heavy enough to cart along fur any raal sort o'
distance, you bet, fur I've tried 'em!"

"I've already thought of that," said Mr Meldrum, "and to-morrow the
carpenter and I will have a talk about a little job which will, perhaps,
relieve your mind in the matter; but, take the boat we must, by hook or
by crook! Do you know that, after crossing the isthmus and getting into
the open sea on the other side, we shall have to coast along for another
fifty or sixty miles before we can expect to reach Betsy Cove, the
little harbour out of Hillsborough Bay or sound, which--you can see it
here on the chart--is the rendezvous of the whalers. Thither, I tell
you, we must go if we hope to meet any of these in order to be taken off
the island. Now, if we can't get there by water we should have to go by
land; and the distance, by the circuitous route we should have to adopt,
would exceed two hundred miles, the way, too, taking us across mountains
which the ladies at least would find impassable!"

"And when are you thinking of starting?" asked Captain Dinks, speaking
for the first time.

"As soon as possible. The whalers are said generally to arrive at Betsy
Cove about the beginning of the summer, that is in November; and, what
with the difficulties we may meet in traversing the isthmus here, and
the subsequent long distance we should have to go by water--for we may
have to make repeated trips in order to transport all the members of our
party to the point I am aiming at--it will take us all our time to reach
there in a month."

"All right!" responded the captain, who looked for the moment more
cheerful at the idea of moving away, "make all the arrangements you
like, Mr Meldrum; I'm only a useless old hulk now, and can do nothing
to help you."

"Bedad you'll be all right agin, cap'en," said Mr McCarthy. "That is,
faix, when you say the say on t'other side, sure. Cheer up, my hearty,
and niver say die!"

"Thank you, Tim," said Captain Dinks, actually smiling, which was the
best sign he had shown for weeks; "your face is as good as a tonic any
day, old friend, and you make me feel better already!"

The very next day all began to prepare for the contemplated shifting of
their quarters, Mr Meldrum so contriving that each had his quota of
work to perform in making ready for the start.

Ben Boltrope was commissioned to manufacture as speedily as he could,
out of what spare timber he could get hold of--and, if necessary, he was