see that they
did not get scorched. After a time the sun came out bright and hot, and
took the drying business in charge. The boys went into the river, and
had a nice long swim, and then spent some time in carefully packing
everything into the boat. By the time the blankets were dry, and they
were ready to start, the tide had fallen so low that the boat was high
and dry; and in spite of all their efforts they could not launch her
while she was loaded.

"We'll have to take all the things out of her," said Harry.

"It reminds me," remarked Joe, "of Robinson Crusoe that time he built
his big canoe, and then couldn't launch it."

"Robinson wasn't very sharp," said Jim. "Why didn't he make a set of
rollers, and put them on the boat?"

"Much good rollers would have been," replied Joe. "Wasn't there a hill
between the boat and the water? He couldn't roll a heavy boat up hill,
could he?"

"He could have made a couple of pulleys, and rigged a rope through them,
and then made a windlass, and put the rope round it," argued Jim.

"Yes, and he could have built a steam-engine and a railroad, and dragged
the boat down to the shore that way, just about as easy."

"He couldn't dig a canal, for he thought about that, and found it would
take too much work," said Jim.

"But we can," cried Harry. "If we just scoop out a little sand, we can
launch the boat with everything in her."

[Illustration: TOM MAKES A CALCULATION.]

The boys liked the idea of a canal; and they each found a large shingle
on the beach, and began to dig. They dug for nearly an hour, but the
boat was no nearer being launched than when they began. Tom stopped
digging, and made a calculation. "It will take about two days of hard
work to dig a canal deep enough to float that boat. If you want to dig,
dig; I don't intend to do any more digging."

When the other boys considered the matter, they saw that Tom was right,
and they gave up the idea of making a canal. It was now about ten
o'clock, and they were rather tired and very hungry. A second breakfast
was agreed to be necessary, and once more the fire was built up and a
meal prepared. Then the boat was unloaded and launched, and the boys,
taking off their shoes and rolling up their trousers, waded in the water
and reloaded her. It was noon by the sun before they finally had
everything in order, and resumed their cruise.

There was no wind, and it was necessary to take to the oars. The
disadvantage of starting