all devoted their efforts towards building a rough
sort of house, which would serve the adventurous brothers for a
temporary habitation until they could make themselves more comfortable.

Young Glass selected the best site for the building; and the skipper
having caused a lot of timber to be placed in the boat, a makeshift
cottage was hastily run up, the walls being of blocks of stone without
and of wood inside. The islander then thatched this neatly with
tussock-grass, which grew all up the face of the cliff, where, as he
showed the brothers, it could be utilised as a sort of ladder to gain
the plateau on top--on which, he also told Fritz and Eric, they would
find droves of wild hogs and a flock of goats that would come in handy
for food when their provisions failed.

The Tristaner had promised to remain with them as long as Captain Brown
would stay with the _Pilot's Bride_, that is, for a week or so, if the
weather was favourable. However, quite unexpectedly, towards afternoon
on the next day--when the cottage was completed, it is true, but they
had not as yet had time to explore the island in company with young
Glass, in order to be familiarised as to the best spots for sealing,
planting their potatoes and vegetable seeds, and so on--the wind shifted
again round to the south-east; and no sooner was this change apparent
than the skipper had to weigh anchor without a moment's delay, when of
course the Tristaner had to embark, or else submit to share the young
crusoes' exile.

Captain Brown had remained on shore with them all the time from their
landing, and he appeared now very loth to leave them at the last.
Really, as they went down with him to the whale-boat in which they had
come ashore, there were tears in the old man's eyes, which he tried
vainly to hide.

"Pooh!" he exclaimed, stamping his foot vigorously. "It's all them
dratted 'skeaters or flies, or sunthin's got inter my durned old optics
as I can't see! Hail the ship, Eric my lad, an' tell 'em to send a boat
to take us off, will you, sonny?"

"But the whale-boat that we landed in is here, captain," said Eric,
thinking the skipper had forgotten all about it.

"Nary you mind thet, my lad," shouted the good-hearted old man; "I'm
goin' to leave thet with you fur a present, b'ys, in case you sh'u'd get
tired an' want ter shift your quarters to Tristan some day. It's allers
best to be purvided with the means of escape, you know, in case of the
worst, f