er a desert island on the other side of the
river, pitch their tent on it, and do "lots of things." Full of these
splendid visions, they walked along in silence, each busy with his own
thoughts.

"I think we can work it, Harry," Plunger at length remarked.

"Work what?"

"That Crusoe idea. We can get the raft next Saturday, and easily peg out
a desert island on the other side of the river. I shan't want to dress
up much. I've got a ragged jacket which'll be near enough for skins, and
a soft felt which I can cut round the brim with Mrs. Trounce's scissors.
That'll do for the hat."

"Whose hat?"

"Crusoe's hat, of course."

"And who's going to wear it?"

"Who's going to wear it?" Plunger's eyebrows disappeared into the roots
of his hair in amazement at the question. "I am, of course!"

"You mean that you're going to be Crusoe?"

"Of course!"

And Plunger's eyebrows remained so high up in the roots of his hair at
the bare idea of anybody else playing the part that it seemed as though
they would never come down again.

"Well, but where do I come in?"

"You can be Friday or an Indian."

"And make myself black, and go about without any shoes and socks on, and
get thorns in my feet, and--and things like that. No, Freddy; no, I
don't! We'll change parts. I'll be Crusoe; you be Friday. You look more
like a savage than I do."

Plunger did not seem altogether pleased with the compliment, for he
brought his knuckles down on Harry's head; but Harry was not quite the
meek boy he was when he first came to Garside, so he returned the
compliment, with interest. Then Plunger tried by cajolery to induce him
to let him be Crusoe, and satisfy himself with the part of Friday, but
Harry remained firm.

"I first thought of it," he argued, "and I ought to have first choice.
If we're going on that raft, I'm going as Crusoe, Freddy."

Plunger preserved a gloomy silence for some moments; then he suddenly
lifted his head, and his eyes sparkled.

"I've got it. Why shouldn't there be two Crusoes?"

"Two Crusoes! You and I, Freddy?"

"Yes."

Harry had never heard of two Crusoes existing on the desert island at
one and the same time, but he didn't see why there shouldn't be. It
would be more up to date. Besides it solved the difficulty, so he
promptly consented.

"But, who'll be Man Friday?"

"Oh, we'll make the Camel Man Friday. He'll do splendidly."

"The Camel" was the cruel nickname it will be remembered that Newall