d shipwrecky, don't you
think so?"

"Splendid. No sail is in sight," went on Eunice, striking in, "and a
wild waste of waters stretch on every side," quoting freely, as she
swept her hand around the expanse of the wide, calm bay, dotted with
white sails and rowboats.

"A savage, rock-bound coast appears before us," she added, as Cricket's
muscular little arms sent the light boat along towards the small island
ahead of them. It consisted of little more than a mass of rocks, with a
bit of shelving beach on the west side, and, here and there, a scrubby
pine.

But it was a picturesque spot, and the children were very fond of coming
over there, since no one else ever seemed to think of it, and they had
it to themselves.

"Methinks this coast looks bare, indeed," said Cricket, in her character
of shipwrecked mariner, as she rested on her oars. "Shall we land here,
brother?"

"'Tis the only land in sight," returned Eunice, shielding her eyes, and
looking forward. "What say you, sister?"

Edna giggled. "Suppose there are cannibals there?" she asked. "I don't
want to be eaten up alive."

"We will defend you, with our last breath," promised Eunice, valiantly,
as they shot up on the pebbly bit of beach. "Shall we explore it,
brother?"

"You explore, and I'll row around the island, and see if there are any
signs of cannibals or savages. Perhaps I'll find a settlement of white
people," she said, as she pushed off with her oar, after the girls had
disembarked with the baggage.

"Don't forget to come back, if you do," called Edna, over her shoulder.

"I'll row off," said Cricket, conveniently deaf to this remark, "and
rencounter," aiming at reconnoitre, "and if you are in any trouble, give
the call, and wave a handkerchief on a stick. Perhaps I'll row back to
the burning vessel, and see if I can pick up any one who is floating
around."

The call was a vigorous whoop, that had been long ago adopted. It
consisted in drawing a deep breath, and then crying, "Wah-whoo-wah!
wah-whoo-wah! _Crick_-et! _Crick_-et! wah-whoo-wah!" putting in the name
of the person wanted.

[Illustration: LANDING ON BEAR ISLAND]

Eunice and Edna watched Cricket off, and then sauntered slowly across
the island, to a dear little spot, their favourite nook. It was a smooth
bit of sand, under the shadow of a pine, and well sheltered by rugged
overhanging rocks. They had an uninterrupted view of the bay outward,
with the long tongue of land that par