a very different matter," he
answered.

"I was, selfishly, only thinking of myself," said Alice, "and forgetting
that you, at all events, would be exposed to the rain; so I hope that
you will set to work and get the house up as soon as possible. I only
wish that I was a man, to be able to help you more than I have done."

"You do help us, Miss Alice," said the mate; "and you encourage us by
your patience and uncomplaining spirit, and your cheerful temper. Do
not think that you are of little use, for I don't think that we could do
without you." Alice, being assured that the mate spoke the truth, was
well pleased to think that young as she was, she was of use to her
companions.

Not only on a desolate island, but in the quiet homes of England, many
little girls like Alice have the power, by their cheerfulness and good
spirits, and, we may add, by their piety and kindness, to be of
inestimable use to all around them.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

THE HOUSE FINISHED--A STORE-HOUSE BUILT--SAGO MANUFACTURED--WALTER MAKES
BOWS AND ARROWS--A SHOOTING EXPEDITION--WALTER SEES A TERRIFIC
CREATURE--CATCH AND COOK IT--ERECT A "SMOKING-HOUSE"--SUCCESSFUL
FISHING.

The house was nearly finished. The whole of it was constructed of
bamboos. The uprights were the thickest canes; the next in size formed
the horizontal beams, lashed together tightly with the long trailing
vines which abounded in the forest. The rafters of the flooring and the
roof were of a third size; while the flooring itself and the walls were
composed of the larger canes split in two, and, after being well wetted,
pressed down by heavy stones till they were perfectly flat. The roof
was thickly thatched with palm-leaves, which served also to cover the
outside walls of Alice's room. There was a broad verandah in front, in
which the occupants could sit and work during the heat of the day. The
common sitting-room was intended to serve them chiefly at night, when
the weather proved bad. There was no fear of cold in that climate, and
they had, consequently, only to guard against wet and an inconvenient
amount of wind. The lower rooms were not more than seven feet in
height, and the upper scarcely so high; so that the whole building,
independent of the roof, which had a steep pitch, did not reach more
than fourteen feet from the ground. A ladder with numerous rounds,
which would allow Alice to climb up and down with ease, led from the
sitting-room to the upper