al exclamation of
satisfaction when the light could be seen ahead through the trees. As soon
as they were out on the sands shirts were hastily pulled off and a hunt
for ants carried out.

"It is lucky the bites don't swell up," Joyce said, "or I should be a mass
of bumps. It is as bad as if one had been attacked by a swarm of bees. Yet
there is only a little red spot to show for each bite."

As soon as they had freed themselves from the ants they started along the
edge of the forest. After walking for two miles they gave a shout of joy,
for a river some fifty yards wide issued from the forest. The sand-hills
had hidden it from sight until they were close upon it.

"Thank God, we sha'n't die of thirst," the mate said. "It will be a hard
job to get our boat here, but it has got to be done. Even if we could
launch it through the surf there would be no getting in through the
rollers on the bar, at least I should not like to try it. So we have got
to drag her here somehow. It will be a tough job, but as there seems no
chance of getting food in any other way we must undertake it. Hurrah!" he
exclaimed suddenly, "there are some cocoa-nut trees on the other side of
the river. That settles it. Let us be off back again at once."

They returned in much better spirits than they had before felt. On the way
they went a short distance into the forest, and cut off a number of thorns
some two inches long and seemingly as hard as iron. They breakfasted on a
biscuit, with a full allowance of water, and then set to work at the boat.
The thorns answered their purpose as nails admirably, and the planks soon
were securely fastened into their places against the stem; but without
nails to clench the planks together, it was evident to them all that the
boat would not float five minutes. They stood looking at it
discontentedly.

"What is to be done with it?" said Mr. Towel. "Can anyone make a
suggestion?"

"I should think, sir," Stephen said, "that if we could get some strong
fibre, or some of those thin climbers that barred our way--they were not
thicker than string, but there was no breaking them, and I should think
that they would do--that with them we could sew the planks together and
caulk them afterwards with the threads from a bit of the leg of one of our
drill trousers."

"A capital idea, Stephen. At any rate, it would be worth trying."

"I will go and fetch some of those climbers, sir, and some long thorns to
make the holes with