Whatever Johnny Dooit was singing he was certainly doing things, and
they all stood by and watched him in amazement.

He seized an axe and in a couple of chops felled a tree. Next he took a
saw and in a few minutes sawed the tree-trunk into broad long boards. He
then nailed the boards together into the shape of a boat, about twelve
feet long and four feet wide. He cut from another tree a long, slender
pole which, when trimmed of its branches and fastened upright in the
center of the boat, served as a mast. From the chest he drew a coil of
rope and a big bundle of canvas, and with these--still humming his
song--he rigged up a sail, arranging it so it could be raised or lowered
upon the mast.

Dorothy fairly gasped with wonder to see the thing grow so speedily
before her eyes, and both Button-Bright and Polly looked on with the
same absorbed interest.

[Illustration]

"It ought to be painted," said Johnny Dooit, tossing his tools back into
the chest, "for that would make it look prettier. But 'though I can
paint it for you in three seconds it would take an hour to dry, and
that's a waste of time."

"We don't care how it looks," said the shaggy man, "if only it will take
us across the desert."

"It will do that," declared Johnny Dooit. "All you need worry about is
tipping over. Did you ever sail a ship?"

"I've seen one sailed," said the shaggy man.

"Good. Sail this boat the way you've seen a ship sailed, and you'll be
across the sands before you know it."

With this he slammed down the lid of the chest, and the noise made them
all wink. While they were winking the workman disappeared, tools and
all.

The Deadly Desert Crossed

[Illustration]

"Oh, that's too bad!" cried Dorothy; "I wanted to thank Johnny Dooit for
all his kindness to us."

"He hasn't time to listen to thanks," replied the shaggy man; "but I'm
sure he knows we are grateful. I suppose he is already at work in some
other part of the world."

They now looked more carefully at the sand-boat, and saw that the bottom
was modelled with two sharp runners which would glide through the sand.
The front of the sand-boat was pointed like the bow of a ship, and there
was a rudder at the stern to steer by.

It had been built just at the edge of the desert, so that all its
length lay upon the grey sand except the after part, which still rested
on the strip of grass.

"Get in, my dears," said the shaggy man; "I'm sure I can manage this
bo