bout these matters. "I
think, therefore, my friend, that since we have to rebuild our vessel it
will be best to give her larger dimensions. The arrival of the Scotch
yacht at Tabor Island is very uncertain. It may even be that, having
arrived several months ago, she has again sailed after having vainly
searched for some trace of Ayrton. Will it not then be best to build a
ship which, if necessary, could take us either to the Polynesian
Archipelago or to New Zealand? What do you think?"

"I think, captain," answered the sailor; "I think that you are as
capable of building a large vessel as a small one. Neither the wood nor
the tools are wanting. It is only a question of time."

"And how many months would be required to build a vessel of from 250 to
300 tons?" asked Harding.

"Seven or eight months at least," replied Pencroft. "But it must not be
forgotten that winter is drawing near, and that in severe frost wood is
difficult to work. We must calculate on several weeks' delay, and if
our vessel is ready by next November we may think ourselves very lucky."

"Well," replied Cyrus Harding, "that will be exactly the most favourable
time for undertaking a voyage of any importance, either to Tabor Island
or to a more distant land."

"So it will, captain," answered the sailor. "Make out your plans then;
the workmen are ready, and I imagine that Ayrton can lend us a good
helping hand."

The colonists, having been consulted, approved the engineer's plan, and
it was, indeed, the best thing to be done. It is true that the
construction of a ship of from two to three hundred tons would be great
labour, but the colonists had confidence in themselves, justified by
their previous success.

Cyrus Harding then busied himself in drawing the plan of the vessel and
making the model. During this time his companions employed themselves
in felling and carting trees to furnish the ribs, timbers, and planks.
The forest of the Far West supplied the best oaks and elms. They took
advantage of the opening already made on their last excursion to form a
practicable road, which they named the Far West Road, and the trees were
carried to the Chimneys, where the dockyard was established. As to the
road in question, the choice of trees had rendered its direction
somewhat capricious, but that at the same time facilitated the access to
a large part of the Serpentine Peninsula.

It was important that the trees should be quickly felled a