an
having her knocked to pieces."

Tom and Desmond highly approved of Jerry's proposal. All hands,
therefore, set to work with the boat stretchers to make the dock, which
was very easily and quickly accomplished. They then filled her up with
sand, almost to the gunwale.

"She will be steady enough now, sir," said Jerry.

As soon as the work was finished, they returned to their former
encampment, carrying the boat's mast, yards, sails, and oars with them,
to assist in forming a tent, while the rest of her gear they placed for
safety high up on the bank. Pat had quickly twisted up some torches
from the fibre of the cocoa-nuts, and now loading themselves with all
their property, they set out, he leading the way. Scarcely had they
commenced their march, than they felt themselves almost taken off their
feet; a loud crash was heard, and down fell a large tree, close to where
they were, torn up by the roots. Happily they were on the weather side.
They hurried on, keeping as much as possible in the open ground.
Another blast came with redoubled fury, almost blowing out Pat's
torches, which burnt, indeed, with so much rapidity, that there seemed
but little probability of their being able to reach the point towards
which they were steering, by their light. They had not gone far when
two torches had burnt out. Heavily laden as they were, they could not
move very fast. Tim Nolan alone was staggering under the boat's sail,
an oar, a musket, and a basket of provisions. Jerry Bird had the
breaker of water hung at his back, and was equally heavily laden.

It was a great relief to Tom when he heard Pat shout out, "Here are the
rocks, though not the sign of a cave can I see."

"Perhaps, if we skirt along them, we may find a still more sheltered
place than this," observed Tom.

The party accordingly moved on, and just as Pat announced that his torch
was beginning to burn his fingers, they found themselves in a recess of
the rocks, where they were well sheltered from the wind, although they
would obtain no protection from the rain when it should begin to fall.
The end of the torch afforded them sufficient light to collect sticks
for a fire, and by its light they were able to put up their tent. The
side of the rock affording a back, it was made to slope from the rock
down to the ground, so that the heaviest rain would run off. There was
just room for all hands to get under it, closely packed; and after the
fatigues of the