d Young.

"What in all the world is it?" asked Adams, as the pan was put on the
fire.

"You'll see when it boils," said Martin.

"There's nothin' in it at all but water," said Quintal, somewhat
contemptuously.

"Well, I've heerd of many a thing, but never fried water," remarked
McCoy.

"I should think it indigestible," said Christian, coming up at the
moment.

Whether the natives understood the jest or not we cannot say, but
certain it is that all of them, men and women, burst into a fit of
laughter at this, in which they were joined by Otaheitan Sally from mere
sympathy.

"Well, what is to be the order of the day?" asked Christian, turning to
Young. "Shall we proceed with our dwellings, or divide the island into
locations?"

"I think," answered the midshipman, "that some of us at least should set
up the forge. I know that Williams's fingers are tingling to grasp the
sledge-hammer, and the sooner he goes at it, too, the better, for we're
badly off for tools."

"If you don't require my services," said Brown, "I'll go plant some
breadfruits and other things at that sheltered spot we fell upon
yesterday."

"I intend to finish the thatching of my hut," said Quintal, in that
off-hand tone of independence and disregard of the wishes of others
which was one of his characteristics.

"Well, there are plenty of us to do all the work," said Christian. "Let
every man do what pleases himself. I would only ask for one or two
volunteers to cut the water-tanks I spoke of yesterday. The water we
have discovered, although a plentiful supply for present needs, may run
short or cease altogether if drought comes. So we must provide against
a dry instead of a rainy day, by cutting a tank or two in the solid rock
to hold a reserve."

Adams and Mills at once volunteered for this duty. Other arrangements
were soon made, and they sat down to breakfast, some using plates saved
from the _Bounty_, others flat stones as substitutes, while empty
cocoa-nut shells served for drinking-cups.

"Your water pancake should be done brown by this time," said Young, as
he sat down on the turf tailor-wise.

"Not quite, but nearly," returned Martin, as he stirred the
furiously-boiling contents of the frying-pan.

In a few minutes more the sea water had boiled quite away, leaving a
white residuum, which Martin scraped carefully off into a cocoa-nut cup.

"You see, boys," he said, setting down the salt thus procured, "I never
could ab