summed up the
problem that confronted them. She read her list of provisions and set
forth her plan of rations. In conclusion she urged that each one take
a turn hunting for sea-food on the rocks and stranded fish on the
beach. If they could supplement their ration thus, they might, by
confining themselves strictly to it, exist until some boat came in the
spring. Harlan, she decided, must take his meals at the cabin.

"Jean and I will begin gathering shellfish tomorrow, while you men
start to lay in a supply of firewood for the winter months," she
finished. Even Shane agreed that existence, now, instead of gold, was
their main concern on the Island of Kon Klayu, although his was the
logic which still insisted that their desertion by Kilbuck could not be
true simply because it seemed so intolerable.

Strange to say, after this frank facing of their difficulties every one
of the party felt more cheerful. There came a letting down of the
tension, a relaxation of the nerves, which had made their storm-bound
days so trying.

The following morning found Ellen and her sister in hip rubber boots
belonging to their men, headed for Sunset Point. They were equipped
with pails and case knives.

The sun shone bright although there was little warmth in it. The air
was sharp and exhilarating and wonderfully pure after the great wind.
The thunder of surf on a hundred reefs spoke of the storm of yesterday.

They soon found themselves down among the great boulders amid tangles
of brown seaweed, where the shallow pools left by the outgoing tide
were alive with strange and interesting sea life. Here, more than in
any other place on Kon Klayu they were conscious of the air, the sound,
the whole enchanting spell of the sea. The bottoms of tiny sea-pools
were dotted with red and yellow starfish. Entrancing rose and purple
sea-anemones blossomed like thistles on the water-covered stones but at
a touch, a sound, folded their delicate beauties into tight buttons
hardly to be distinguished from the base to which they clung. Comical,
tiny iridescent fish, with eyes of bulging astonishment, and thorns on
their backs, darted about the women's feet and went into hiding under
floating russet seaweed. The big boots lumbering into the shallow
water caused sea-eggs of green and lavender to move solemnly on the
bottom with raylike prickles erect.

"We'll try the sea-eggs later on," Ellen said, as she watched them.
"Senott told me at Kat