y
along the sands comparing notes about their injuries, which were
fortunately very slight.

"What shall we do, captain?" said Small.

"Take the boat and see if you can recover the sail. You can go with
them if you like, Mark."

Mark turned to go eagerly.

"Can you launch the boat?"

"Ay, ay, sir; it ain't far," was the reply; and the three went down to
the spot where the gig lay, ran her down into the smooth water, and
pushed out, Small thrusting an oar over the stern and giving it the
necessary fish-tail motion known as paddling, while Mark and Billy
Widgeon looked out for the submerged sail.

It was soon found and towed ashore, where, after the boat had been made
fast to a piece of rock, the canvas was drawn over the dry burning
sands, first on one side and then on the other, parting readily with its
moisture, and being finally left in the hot glow.

The captain joined them directly after with the major.

"Did you hear it, father?" whispered Mark.

"No, my boy; all has been perfectly silent. Now, to see if we cannot
make some kind of shelter."

It was by no means a difficult job, for Small and Billy Widgeon soon set
the boat mast free from its lashings, which were utilised to fasten the
slight spar horizontally between two thin cocoa-nut palms at about three
feet from the ground, which was here, as for the most part about them,
covered with soft dry drifted sand.

Over this it was proposed to hang the sail as soon as it was dry and peg
out the sides, for which purpose Small and his companion took out their
knives, and, attacking a low scrubby bush, soon had a sufficiency ready.

"Not much of a place, Mark," said the captain cheerfully; "but it will
make a dry little tent for the ladies till we see what we can do."

The next thing was to overhaul the stores, which made so poor a show
that the captain knit his brow, but cleared it directly, and helped to
place all together in a little heap beneath the cocoa-nut trees in
company with the ammunition, of which there was a fair supply, and the
arms.

"I think these men should carry revolvers in their belts," said the
captain, "in case of there being any danger."

"Decidedly," said the major in an emphatic way.

"Which I shouldn't say as there was, sir," said the boatswain, "unless
some of these copper rascals come and land, for this here must be only a
little island, as a climb up the mountain will show us when you like to
go, sir."

"Never mind, S