found. The Sandwich Islander was applied to.
We had heard that the natives of the South Sea Islands obtained a light
by rubbing two pieces of wood together. He could do it, he replied, if
he could find the right sort of wood. But the process was not an easy
one, and required time; so, as we were too hungry to wait, we dined off
raw eggs, with a dessert of cocoa-nut, washed down with the milk.

After we had finished our meal, Tamaku set off to look for the wood he
required, while we were employed in collecting leaves and erecting some
arbours of boughs, in which we might shelter ourselves during the night,
instead of spending it, as we had done the previous one, on the open
beach. It was nearly dark when Tamaku returned, saying that he had
found the wood he required; but as we were tired and sleepy, we
preferred lying down to rest instead of waiting till a fire could be
kindled and provisions cooked.

CHAPTER FOUR.

ON THE ISLAND--OYSTERS ON TREES--HARRY'S NARROW ESCAPE FROM A SHARE--OUR
FIRST BREAKFAST--TILLARD'S FORGE--EXPEDITION ACROSS THE ISLAND--WE
MANUFACTURE NAILS AND HOOKS--FIND A BOAT--SUCCESSFUL FISHING--OUR
FRIENDS RETURN--LAUNCH THE BOAT--DICK AND I START TO SAIL ROUND THE
ISLAND--DICK TAKEN ILL--MY DISMAY--WE ARE BLOWN OFF THE COAST.

Although our beds of leaves were tolerably comfortable, and our clothes
were dry, we did not oversleep ourselves, but awoke at daybreak the next
morning. Refreshing as was the cocoa-nut milk we had obtained, we all
felt very thirsty; so Mudge announced his intention of setting off to
look for a spring of water, taking Popo with him to carry the breaker.
Tamaku sat down with his knife to cut the wood he had found into the
required shape for producing fire; Tillard proceeded with the
arrangements for his forge; while Harry and Tom and I agreed to go along
the shore to look for shell-fish, and to obtain a further supply of
cocoa-nuts.

We had not gone far when we came to a creek, or narrow bay, running
inland for some distance. Its shores were thickly lined with trees,
their roots being washed by the water, and many of their boughs dipping
into it. Near at hand we discovered a cocoa-nut tree bearing several
bunches of fruit, and Harry at once volunteered to climb to the summit.
While he was thus engaged, I heard Tom shouting out, "Halloa, here are
oysters growing on the trees!"

I ran down to the opening by which he had gained the water; and there,
sure enough, a