ussion at
supper, it was decided I should be allowed to do.

XII

The Making of the Great Bow

The fourth night upon the island was the first to pass without incident.
It is true that a light showed from the hulk out in the weed; but now
that we had made some acquaintance with her inmates, it was no longer a
cause for excitement, so much as contemplation. As for the valley where
the vile things had made an end of Job, it was very silent and desolate
under the moonlight; for I made a point to go and view it during my time
on watch; yet, for all that it lay empty, it was very eerie, and a place
to conjure up uncomfortable thoughts, so that I spent no great time
pondering it.

This was the second night on which we had been free from the terror of
the devil-things, and it seemed to me that the great fire had put them in
fear of us and driven them away; but of the truth or error of this idea,
I was to learn later.

Now it must be admitted that, apart from a short look into the valley,
and occasional starings at the light out in the weed, I gave little
attention to aught but my plans for the great bow, and to such use did I
put my time, that when I was relieved, I had each particular and detail
worked out, so that I knew very well just what to set the men doing so
soon as we should make a start in the morning.

Presently, when the morning had come, and we had made an end of
breakfast, we turned-to upon the great bow, the bo'sun directing the men
under my supervision. Now, the first matter to which I bent attention,
was the raising, to the top of the hill, of the remaining half of that
portion of the topmast which the bo'sun had split in twain to procure the
batten for the boat. To this end, we went down, all of us, to the beach
where lay the wreckage, and, getting about the portion which I intended
to use, carried it to the foot of the hill; then we sent a man to the top
to let down the rope by which we had moored the boat to the sea anchor,
and when we had bent this on securely to the piece of timber, we returned
to the hill-top, and tailed on to the rope, and so, presently, after much
weariful pulling, had it up.

The next thing I desired was that the split face of the timber should be
rubbed straight, and this the bo'sun understood to do, and whilst he was
about it, I went with some of the men to the grove of reeds, and here,
with great care, I made a selection of some of the finest, these being
for the bo