."

The seamen, caring apparently little for the accident, began to pile up
the wood they had cut on the remains of their fire, which they scraped
to a sufficient distance from the burning hut to enable them to sit
round it, laughing and joking as they did so.

"Shouldn't be surprised but what our bonfire had been seen from the
village," said Paul Lizard. "They will be thinking that a burning
mountain has burst forth. Come, lads, pile on more logs. It's precious
cold still, in spite of the fire."

Fortunately, more wood had been cut for the hut than was required, and
this, in addition to the fuel they had collected, enabled them to keep a
fire burning till daylight. As may be supposed, no one ventured to go
to sleep; indeed, all hands underwent a regular roasting process,
sitting now with their backs to the fire, now with one side, now with
another, and then facing it, till their wet clothes were tolerably well
dried. By the boatswain's advice they then stripped off their inner
garments, which they dried and then put them on again, thoroughly
warmed. The latter part of the night was employed in fashioning some
fresh handles for the axes out of the toughest pieces of wood they could
find, so that they might be ready by daylight to go to work.

"There, my axe is as good as ever," cried Paul Lizard, as he secured the
handle he had just finished.

"And so is mine," said Tom Wall. "We will soon have the hut up again,
and make it a little bigger the next time."

"That's the spirit I like, lads," observed the boatswain. "Never strike
your flag while the ship swims. That's the motto for English seamen;
and I hope, lads, you will always stick to it. Now, Paul, just; give us
a stave; we have not heard your sweet voice all the night. Just see if
you cannot shout as loud as the gale." Paul thereon, nothing loath,
struck up, "Cease, rude Boreas, blustering railer." Paul's example was
followed by others, and daylight broke on them even before they expected
its appearance.

Willy was the first to spring to his feet, saying that he would take a
run down the hill and up again to warm himself. Peter Patch followed
him. They had got a little distance from the bright glare of the fire,
when Willy turned his eyes seaward.

"Why, Peter," he exclaimed, after gazing earnestly for a few seconds,
"there is a sail, and not far off the mouth of the harbour."

"A sail! a sail!" shouted the midshipmen together. All the part