s could not expound, so they went to hunt up
Daddy Bunker for further information regarding the wonder of the
wireless service. The other four little Bunkers were already greatly
interested in the deeply rolling lumber schooner.

After more signals with flags had been exchanged between the steamship
the children were on and the schooner, the former picked up speed again.
Soon the masts of the schooner were almost out of sight; but the little
Bunkers continued to discuss the strange incident.

"I wish we could have put out boats and saved them," said Rose. "Like a
regular wreck, I mean."

"The crew of the schooner would be castaways, then," Russ mused. "I like
to read stories about castaways."

"Robinson Crusoe had goats," remarked Laddie. "I like goats."

"You wouldn't like goats if they butted you, would you?" asked Vi.

"All goats don't butt," said her twin with assurance.

"Have those men got goats on that wabbly schooner?" Margy demanded. "I
didn't see any."

"Of course they haven't," Rose replied.

"Then how could they be castaways?" put in Vi promptly. "If castaways
have goats----"

"Oh! you don't understand," declared Russ. "They only get the goats
after they get to the desert islands. That is what Laddie means."

"Of course," agreed Laddie.

"Do they eat 'em?" Margy asked.

"Only if they need to," Russ told her, with superior wisdom. "Of course,
they most always make pets of them."

"Oh!"

"I guess," said Russ, becoming reflective, "that we might play at
castaway."

"When we get ashore, do you mean, Russ?" Vi asked.

"Right here."

"No," said Vi. "We'd get our feet wet. We can't play on the ocean, can
we?"

"We can play on this deck. The officers won't mind. Now all of you come
up on to this life raft. We'll play you are floating around on the sea
waiting for somebody to come along in a boat and rescue you."

"Who is going to be the rescuer?" Vi asked.

"I am."

"Are you sure you can rescue us, Russ?" she demanded. "Where's your
boat?"

Russ pointed to a long lifeboat covered with canvas which lay some
distance from the life-raft. "That will be my boat," he said eagerly.
"Rose, you must be in command of the raft. Of course, you have been
drifting about a long time and you are all hungry and thirsty."

"Mun Bun wants bwead and milk," put in the littlest Bunker, on hearing
this.

"Well," said Laddie soberly, "you've got to want it a lot before you get
rescued, Mun Bun. Castaways