pe or strong enough; so we must give that up too. It's true that we
might burn a canoe out of a solid tree, but who's to cut down the solid
tree for us, doggie? I'm sure if the waggin' of a tail could do it you
wouldn't be long about it! Why on earth can't 'ee keep it still for a
bit? Well, then, as we can't swim or fly, and haven't a boat or canoe,
or the means o' makin' em, what's the next thing to be done?"

Apparently neither man nor dog could return an answer to that question,
for they both sat for a very long time in profound silence, staring at
the sea.

After some time Jarwin suddenly exclaimed, "I'll do it!"

Cuffy, startled by the energy with which it was said, jumped up and
said, "That's right!"--or something very like it--with his eyes.

"Yes, Cuffy, I'll make a raft, and you and I shall get on it, some day,
with a fair wind, and make for the island that we think we've seen so
often on the horizon."

He alluded here to a faint blue line which, on unusually fine and clear
days, he had distinguished on the horizon to the southward, and which,
from its always appearing on the same spot, he believed to be land of
some sort, although it looked nothing more than a low-lying cloud.

"So that's settled," continued Jarwin, getting up and walking smartly
back to his hut with the air of a man who has a purpose in view. "We
shall make use of the old raft, as far as it'll go. Luckily the sail is
left, as you and I know, Cuff, for it has been our blanket for many a
day, and when all's ready we shall go huntin', you and I, till we've got
together a stock of provisions, and then--up anchor and away! We can
only be drownded once, you know, and it's better that than stopping here
to die o' the blues. What think 'ee o' that, my doggie?"

Whatever the doggie thought of the idea, there can be no question what
he thought of the cheery vigorous tones of his master's voice, for he
gambolled wildly round, barked with vociferous delight, and wagged his
"spanker boom" to such an extent that Jarwin warned him to have a care
lest it should be carried away, an' go slap overboard.

In pursuance of the designs thus expressed, the sailor began the
construction of a raft without delay, and worked at it diligently the
remainder of that day. He found, on examination, that a considerable
portion of the old raft yet remained stranded on the beach, though all
the smaller spars of which it had been composed had been used for
firew