h a paddle and bringing them in."

No sooner was the proposal made, than all hands set to work to build a
light raft, for which there were ample materials. Bill volunteered to
help Jack, and with the aid of a couple of roughly constructed paddles,
they went off towards the casks.

"They are water-casks! No doubt about that," cried Jack, as he got near
to them; "but whether they have fresh or salt water in them remains to
be proved."

"Fresh water!" cried Bill; "let us hope so, at all events."

Having brought some rope on their raft, they made the casks fast and
towed them towards the beach. There were three. They considerably
impeded the return of the raft to the shore. Still Jack and Bill
persevered. It was very hard work, as there was a current against them.
However, they determined to persevere as long as they should make way.
The casks were too precious to be abandoned, so they kept on paddling
and paddling. Sometimes Jack thought they were going farther off from
the shore. "Keep on!" cried Bill. "We have gained an inch, and in
another minute we shall have gained two inches. Hurrah!"

Jack was inspirited by Bill's courage, and after a great deal of
exertion they managed to get the raft to the shore, their friends
hurrying down to meet them. The casks were dragged up. As they turned
them round, they saw that the bungs were fastened down tightly. Before
they could get them open they had recourse to the carpenter's chest.
The difficulty, however, was to open that. They searched about in vain
for any implement to force it open. They were, however, so thirsty that
they could wait no longer, and at length, by means of a stick and a
piece of timber to serve as a mallet, they drove in the bung. How
eagerly they drew forth the water from the cask! Jack put down his
mouth and tasted it.

"Sweet as honey!" he exclaimed. "No fear now; if all the casks are like
that, we shall do."

"But it's not likely they will be all like that," said old Grim. "How
that one has escaped is more than I can tell."

The water greatly revived them. In the same way they knocked in the
head of one of the casks which contained biscuit. It was found to have
escaped the wet. All hands eagerly ate some, for they had tasted no
food for many hours. Here was an ample supply to last them for some
time. Greatly refreshed, with their spirits somewhat raised, they again
went along the shore to try and pick up any further article