time they found that if they could move the boat from its present position, they might get it into deeper water, and by pushing it along with a pole bring them a sort of little cove.

“But where are we to get the poles from?” asked Allen.

29“We will take the remains of the mast. That will do,” said Captain Gray.

29

Suiting the action to the word, and getting the boat free once more, they began to push her slowly up the little inlet. At last she was snugly alongside the shore, and once more all the party felt the firm earth under their feet. A feeling of thankfulness filled every heart.

30

CHAPTER VI.

They were all very hungry, as they had been too intently watching their approach to the island to think of eating anything since the morning, and it was now almost sunset. Going over to the place where the sailors had first landed, where the beef and biscuit had been deposited, they prepared to eat their supper. They were all heartily tired of salt beef and hard tack, but the country appeared to be very barren, and there seemed little likelihood of their finding much in the way of food on it.

“I think,” said Captain Gray, “that this is one of the volcanic islands I spoke of, but still we may have landed on the most desolate part of it. To-morrow we will explore it in all directions, and find out just what our position is.”

After supper they prepared for their first night ashore, and yet it was not exactly ashore, either, as the boat was more comfortable as a sleeping place, than the rocky shore; so arranging the sail in the bottom of the boat, they spent, by far, the most comfortable night since the burning of the “Western Shore.”

When the first light of morning made its appearance, Allen and Harry (one of the sailors) set out to see if they could find water, which they were again 31likely to suffer for, or any kind of food. They followed the shore line until they had rounded a sharp point which obscured the boat from their view. As they rounded this point, an exclamation of joy burst from Allen’s lips. “See Harry,” cried he, “there is a large number of trees; they will probably have fruit of some kind.”

31

“Yes, they have fruit,” answered Harry, “but I’m afraid we can’t reach it. They are cocoanut trees.”

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