them together, and
covered them with short pieces of board, from the ruins of an old
cook-house on the island. The job was finished when breakfast was
ready, about seven o'clock, including a mast and sail, the latter made
of the curtain of a tent. The preparations I had been making had a
wonderful effect in warming up the spirits of the boys, considerably
depressed by the prospective calamities which were supposed to lie in
the wake of the loss of our boats; and at least three quarters of them
applied to me for permission to join my expedition to the main shore.
I determined, however, to take but four with me, among whom were Bob
Hale and Tom Rush.

As soon as we had eaten a hearty breakfast, we embarked, and hoisted
the sail on our clumsy craft. When she had passed out of the cove, she
took the breeze, and went off at a very satisfactory pace towards
Cannondale, plunging and rolling in the heavy sea like a ship in a
gale. With us as navigators, "the die was cast," for it would be
impossible to return to the island unless the wind changed, for the
raft would only go before it.

The craft dived down and jumped up, and every wave swept completely
over it; but we had taken off our shoes and stockings, and rolled up
our trousers' legs, so that we suffered no inconvenience. The fresh
breeze carried us over in about half an hour, and the raft was thrown
high and dry on the beach, a quarter of a mile below the town.

CHAPTER XVIII.

IN WHICH ERNEST AND HIS COMPANIONS LAND AT CANNONDALE.

We landed on the beach, put on our shoes and stockings, and walked
towards the village of Cannondale. It was still early in the
morning,--as people who lie abed till breakfast measure time,--and I
was quite confident that I should find the boats, if not the deserters
from our camp, at the town. The fact that none of the party were
boatmen assured me they could not have gone on to Parkville. The wind
must have brought them to Cannondale, and must have prevented them
from leaving it.

We followed the beach from the point where we had landed until we came
to the steamboat pier, which was the usual landing-place for all
boats.

On the further side of the wharf, sheltered from the wind and the
sea, was our entire squadron, with the exception of the flat-boat.

"We are all right now," said Bob Hale; and we broke into a run, and
hastened over to the point where the boats were secured.

"Where do you suppose the deserters are?" ask