y, in
an opposite one to which it tended. At length, the wood began to crack,
and the tall tree hung over on the side he expected. He plied his axe
with redoubled vigour, when, tottering for a moment, down it came with a
crash, making the earth around tremble, and throwing up a cloud of dust
and leaves. He uttered a shout of satisfaction as he saw the first part
of his work accomplished. In his eagerness, he would have begun shaping
it out immediately, but darkness had come on, and prevented him from
working. He had been so engaged, that he had forgotten all about his
food. Hurrying to his traps, he found a couple of pigeons, which he
hastily plucked, and, having made up his fire, put on to roast. While
they were cooking, he kneaded some small dough cakes.

"I wish that foolish fellow had more sense; I would gladly have given
him some of these," he thought. "The chances are he hasn't been able to
kill anything. Hunger, however, will perhaps bring him to his senses,
and I shall have him here begging. I can't have the heart to refuse
him, though he ought to be made to feel his own helplessness." Having
finished his supper, Dick hung up the other bird, and put away his cakes
for breakfast, that he might set to work as soon as it was daylight.

He had not hitherto formed a bed-place for himself, being content to
sleep on the ground, with some canvas and cloth from one of the bales,
which he had first well dried in the sun, for a covering. Being very
tired, he lay down, but fancied that he felt creatures crawling over
him, so he resolved to make a cot before the next night, that he might
sleep more comfortably. He had noticed some palm needles and a quantity
of twine in the carpenter's chest, which would be of great service. He
awoke before daylight, but afraid of losing time, he remained awake,
thinking over his plans, until he saw the first gleams of dawn breaking
in the eastern sky. He then at once rose and went down to the beach to
take a bath, splashing about all the time he was in the water, and
looking out seawards, in case of sharks or other dangerous creatures
being near. Thoroughly refreshed, he returned on shore. Having
dressed, he went back to his hut to commence his work for the day. He
was so eager to get his boat finished that he would at once have begun
on that, but there were other things of more immediate importance. The
first was to see that his traps were properly set, as he knew that h