Sam hit the beast over the
head with a club he carried. Two other blows finished the animal.

"That isn't bad," said the captain. "They both look to be young. They
ought to make good eating."

"We are going to have no easy work of it, getting these animals down
to the shore," said Tom.

"After we get them to the shore, what then?" questioned his brother.
"We can't keep them in the boat all the time that we are exploring
the other islands."

"We had best make a trip back to the house," answered Captain Blossom.
"If the others heard the shots they'll be wondering what has happened;
besides, a storm is coming up."

The captain said he would carry the smaller of the goats alone,
leaving the two Rovers to carry the larger game between them. After
a rest and another look around the vicinity, they started for the
boat and reached it after a walk which almost exhausted every one of
the party.

"I'll be glad enough to lay around our camp and rest for a day,"
announced Sam. "This task of exploring is not as easy as it looks."

A little later they were in the boat and rowing back to where they
had left the others, little dreaming of the strange events that had
happened in their absence.

CHAPTER XVIII

UNEXPECTED VISITORS

It had been decided by the castaways to enlarge one of the rooms of
the house, and as soon as the captain, Tom, and Sam had departed on
their exploring tour, Dick and old Jerry set to work to cut down the
posts necessary for the building.

While this was going on the three girls were by no means idle. There
were meals to get, dishes to wash, and it had been found that outdoor
life was very rough on clothing, so there was a good bit of sewing
and darning to be done. Fortunately all of the girls were handy with
a needle, so that a rent in a coat or a dress received immediate
attention.

"Now you must make the alteration in the house very nice," said Dora
to Dick. "Remember, we want a regular Queen Anne building, with round
bay windows, and--"

"And inlaid floors," finished Dick, "not to mention steam heat, and--"

"Mercy on us!" burst in Grace. "Don't mention steam heat in this
climate."

"Of course we want hot and cold water in the kitchen," put in Nellie.
"What sort of a mansion would it be without hot and cold water,--and
a dumb waiter from the cellar, too," and then all began to laugh.

"I know what I should like," said Dora, after a pause. "That would
be a refrigerator."

"If