ully conscious that, save in the matter
of purely physical help and companionship, his presence was in no wise
an acquisition to them. Hence the little fit of pique, the outcome of
which had been a resolve to show these two resourceful men that he,
plain, unpretending seamen though he was, knew a thing or two besides
how to handle or navigate a ship, and that, even when it came to such a
matter as the knocking up of an impromptu house, he was not disposed to
give way to anybody. The house, or shelter rather, for it was too
rough-and-ready an affair to be worthy of the former appellation, was
really a very creditable production--roomy and weather-tight, though it
was doubtful whether it would prove capable of withstanding the
buffetting of a hurricane--and Captain Blyth was very justly proud of
it; and when Gaunt and Henderson (both of whom read the worthy man like
a book in large print) seemed to vie with each other as to who should
speak of it in the most complimentary and appreciative terms, the fit of
pique vanished like snow beneath a summer sun. The wound to the
skipper's _amour propre_ was completely healed, and he was once more
happy.

On comparing notes it was found that both the explorers had been
successful in their search, both had found stone of a more or less
suitable quality, some of it, indeed, being excellent; but the honours
of the day fell to the doctor's lot, he having discovered not only a
quarry-site in a most convenient situation, with stone of a quality far
superior to anything that Gaunt had met with, but also an outcrop of
coal! This discovery was of infinitely greater value to the party,
situated as they then were, than would have been the finding of a gold
mine, and Gaunt in particular--who perhaps realised more fully than any
of the others the exceeding importance of the discovery--was greatly
elated thereat.

Fully alive to the importance of developing these new resources without
delay, the five men started in the raft at daybreak next morning, well
provided with picks, shovels, crowbars, sledges, and such other
implements as it was thought might be useful, together with a keg of
powder from the magazine of the _Mermaid_, and made their way up stream,
Henderson acting as pilot. The quarry was first reached, being situated
only about half a mile above Fay Island, and a single glance sufficed to
satisfy Gaunt that here was stone not only of splendid quality, but
amply sufficient in quan