parture in an open
boat too great a risk, especially with such precious passengers to look
after. By themselves, no adventure would have been too daring for the
humor of the wrecked Brownies, but with Faith and Sophia in their
company they felt doubly engaged to caution. Then there was that
mysterious boat's crew from the Doubt. The least imprudence might reveal
to them the presence of the Brownie party, and call down upon the little
band the whole Stygian fleet. It was a perplexing position, and they
must be wise and patient and make the best of it.

"First of all," said Pipe, who now took command, "we must try to rig up
another boat. Now, my hearties, out with your hatchets and ropes and get
to work!"

The sailors could turn their hands to every sort of handicraft, and some
of them were quite skillful mechanics. Fortunately, Square, the ship's
carpenter of one of the sunken vessels, was among the number picked up
by Coxswain Help, and to him the boat building was entrusted. First the
frame was made ready. A hickory twig was laid upon the ground, and bent
at both ends. This formed the keel. Both ends of two similar twigs were
fastened to each end of the keel piece, and bent outward to form the
gunwale. These pieces were held in position by braces until the ribs
were set, which were shorter twigs bent around the frame and fastened to
the keel piece beneath, and to the gunwale on either side.

"Very good," said Square, when this work was done, "now for the
covering. We must find a birch tree for that, and strip the bark from
some of the branches."

The Natties soon came back from the woods bringing enough white birch
bark to cover a man-of-war. The framework was entirely covered with
this, the pieces being lapped far over one another, so as to make the
joints as water-tight as possible.

"Now," said Chips, as the sailors call the carpenter, "if we had a
little oakum to caulk these seams we should be all right."

"We can fix that for you," answered one of the sailors. "Here is a grass
whose fibres, if well scraped, will give us quite a good substitute for
tow. As for tar, we can get on very well with the gum on yonder pine
tree."

"A good thought," said Square, "and I will leave you to carry it out,
while I get ready the thwarts and bottom boards."

The thwarts were simply undressed twigs laid close together after the
fashion of a rustic seat, and fastened against the ribs, and the bottom
board was built in the