Part 16 (2/2)
observed the doctor ”They only come on shore for that purpose, and we are not likely to catch the on turtle”
While Peter prepared breakfast, Pat clih to afford each of the party a refreshi+ng draught of liquid It could not properly be called milk, as it had not yet assumed its white appearance, which it does only after the nut is perfectly ripe It elcoh a sht on shore, To had been discovered About this the doctor was very doubtful, and Pat, whom he questioned on the subject, stated that he had not discovered any signs of water
”I should have wished to search for water the first thing,” observed Tom; ”but whether it is to be found or not, it is most important that we should ascertain whether the boat ashed up on the beach, and if she can be repaired to enable us to return to the wreck”
”Can you shohere you ca up and down so many times, that I am not quite certain; but it's my belief that if she is to be found anywhere, it will be away to the northward, for I didn't see her at the other end”
”Then ill set off without delay,” said To Pat, he and Desmond, with Jerry Bird, commenced a search for the boat in the direction Pat mentioned
The sandy beach was divided insoht easily be concealed Had she, however, been thrown on any of them, she would, Tom feared, in all probability be knocked to pieces The surprising thing was that Pat had not seen her It appeared from his account that when he had partially recovered his senses, finding himself on shore, he had set off in a confused state of , and that some time must have elapsed before he came entirely to himself
”Suppose we do not recover the boat, how are we to visit the wreck?”
asked Dese one, which we can e; and should the weather continue cal current likely to drive us ae may, I think, without much risk easily make the trip there and back,” answered Too?” inquired Desmond
”We must form another raft on board, and theour hut,” was the answer
”Then you think we shall have to remain some time on the island?” said Desmond
”Of course; it et off in a few days or weeks Had we a good carpenter aht have built a vessel froh for us to bring a good portion of her planking and timber ashore; but I ah we have a stock of carpenter's tools”
”There is nothing like trying,” said Des built; and if we can obtain tih to carry us at once to Guam or to the Sandwich Islands”
”We will hear what the doctor says What do you think about it, Bird?”
”Well, sir, I have helped to rig many a craft, but cannot say that I ever worked as a shi+pwright, though I a else, and 'where there's a will there's a way'”
”What do you say, Pat?” asked Toers, when a ht to think hi; and sooner than live on a dissolute island all un shi+p, if I had the materials”
The answers of the two seamen made Tom think that Desmond's proposal was, at all events, worth consideration
”Well, if we find we can get tih from the wreck, I don't see e should notover the matter in his mind
”I'll undertake that we can build a vessel of ten or fifteen tons, which will carry us to the Sandwich Islands,” observed Desot the idea in h I cannot promise that she will be much of a clipper, but she shall keep afloat, beat to ard, and stand a pretty heavy sea”
To Presently Pat, who had started on ahead, cried out, ”Arrah! here she is, all right, if not all tight,” and he pointed to a little sandy bay, almost at the extreme northern end of the island There lay the boat on the beach She had narrowlyswept round the island, when she would in all probability have been lost unless some counter current, on the lee side, had driven her back She had escaped also another danger, that of being dashed to pieces against a rugged ledge close to which she must have passed The party hurried up to her to ascertain what dae she had received The surf had evidently turned her over, and but little water reht she appeared to be uninjured
”I was afraid so,” said Toh a hole in the bows ”The water ran out here; perhaps she would have suffered ed If she's stove in nowhere else, we shall be able to repair her” This was apparently the only dae the boat had received
”I am not surprised that she should have been swamped with sowhen those unhappyour tools and materials here And now let us see if any oars have been cast on shore” They hunted about, but the oars, being so hter than the boat, had either been swept round the north end of the island or thrown on some other part of the shore