ere bound to obey him. By the time the seamen came
back Mike's porridge, as he called it, was ready. The lid of the kettle
served as a dish, into which he baled it with a tin cup. How it was
afterwards to be divided was the difficulty, as there were only three
cup among the whole party.

"I saw some big shells on the beach," said Nat; "they will serve us for
plates."

He and Owen went down and soon collected enough for all hands. The mate
claimed his share first, and ordered a shell as well as his cup to be
filled. The men looked at each other, but said nothing.

Mike's porridge was pronounced excellent.

"Shure, mates, you shall have the same for dinner," he said; "but there
is one thing I've got to ask--how long is it to last? We have made a
good hole in the beef cask already; we shall make a bigger one at
dinner-time."

The men, however, did not listen to the Irishman's remark, but as soon
as the meal was over lay down, some in the shade of the tent, whilst
others, indifferent to the heat of the sun, stretched themselves on the
sand, exposed to its full force. Some had saved their pipes, others
their tobacco, and the pipes being filled, were passed round. Precious
time was thus lost which should have been employed in searching for
provisions which might have been cast on shore.

"Although others are idle it is no reason why we should be so," observed
Owen to Nat and Mike. "Come along, let us see what we can find."

Mike, though an Irishman, was a very steady fellow, and at once agreed
to what Owen proposed. Nat was always ready, and they set out. They
had not gone far when they found several casks and bales which had been
washed out of the wreck.

They dragged them up on the beach to wait an examination at a future
time. They opened only one bale, which contained muslin.

"Very little use this to us," observed Nat. "On the contrary, it will
be of the greatest service," answered Owen. "We can make coverings with
it for our heads, which will afford greater protection against the heat
than any hats we could manufacture. My head has begun to ache already."

"Mr Hartley is right," said Mike. "The Indian fellows out here always
wear things of this sort on their heads."

Owen had no great notion how to form a turban, but he had seen pictures
of Orientals, and was aware that their headdress consisted of long
twists of muslin turned round and round. He immediately set to work,
and fitted one to N