stand the meaning of some of them,--such,
for instance, as "the very ticket;" but I think it my duty to recount
everything relating to my adventures with a strict regard to truthfulness
in as far as my memory serves me; so I write, as nearly as possible, the
exact words that my companions spoke. I often asked Peterkin to explain
what he meant by "ticket," but he always answered me by going into fits
of laughter. However, by observing the occasions on which he used it, I
came to understand that it meant to show that something was remarkably
good, or fortunate.

On coming up we found that Peterkin was vainly endeavouring to pull the
axe out of the oar, into which, it will be remembered, Jack struck it
while endeavouring to cut away the cordage among which it had become
entangled at the bow of the ship. Fortunately for us the axe had
remained fast in the oar, and even now, all Peterkin's strength could not
draw it out of the cut.

"Ah! that is capital indeed," cried Jack, at the same time giving the axe
a wrench that plucked it out of the tough wood. "How fortunate this is!
It will be of more value to us than a hundred knives, and the edge is
quite new and sharp."

"I'll answer for the toughness of the handle at any rate," cried
Peterkin; "my arms are nearly pulled out of the sockets. But see here,
our luck is great. There is iron on the blade." He pointed to a piece
of hoop iron, as he spoke, which had been nailed round the blade of the
oar to prevent it from splitting.

This also was a fortunate discovery. Jack went down on his knees, and
with the edge of the axe began carefully to force out the nails. But as
they were firmly fixed in, and the operation blunted our axe, we carried
the oar up with us to the place where we had left the rest of our things,
intending to burn the wood away from the iron at a more convenient time.

"Now, lads," said Jack, after we had laid it on the stone which contained
our little all, "I propose that we should go to the tail of the island,
where the ship struck, which is only a quarter of a mile off, and see if
anything else has been thrown ashore. I don't expect anything, but it is
well to see. When we get back here it will be time to have our supper
and prepare our beds."

"Agreed!" cried Peterkin and I together, as, indeed, we would have agreed
to any proposal that Jack made; for, besides his being older and much
stronger and taller than either of us, he was a very clever