ng up at any moment,
and when it does the brig will most probably go to pieces. I am
therefore exceedingly anxious to get you comfortably established ashore
before this happens. Then, if all goes well, I shall at once proceed to
pull the poor old _Mermaid_ carefully to pieces, damaging the planking
as little as may be in the process, because that is the material out of
which I purpose to build my boat. I shall do this, transferring it, and
everything on board that may be likely to be of use to us, to, the shore
before I do anything else; because, should the brig break up of herself,
much valuable material is certain to be lost. Then, when I have got
everything safe ashore, I shall begin upon the boat."

"I see," remarked Flora, with animation, "that we have a kind of Crusoe
existence before us--a sort of perpetual picnic. Very well; I shall
undertake the house-keeping part of the work; keep the tent clean and
tidy; prepare nice appetising meals for you when you come home tired
from your work; keep your clothes in repair; do the washing; and
generally look after domestic affairs. Oh, you may smile as much as you
like. I dare say you think that I know nothing about such matters; but
I do; and I flatter myself that I shall astonish you."

"Yes," laughed Leslie, "I expect you will; I am fully prepared to be
astonished. No," he continued, as he saw a pout rising to his
companion's lips, "I did not quite mean that. True, I have before me a
vision of a very charming young lady, always somewhat haughty and
unapproachable, and always most elegantly costumed; who used to be the
awe and admiration of everybody aboard the _Golden Fleece_; and I have
been endeavouring--I must confess with not altogether brilliant
success--to picture her doing the cooking and washing, ashore there.
But I know--or at least I have been told--that woman's power of
adaptability surpasses belief, and I have already seen that you possess
it to a marvellous degree; therefore, despite what I said just now, I
shall be astonished at nothing you do, or prove yourself able to
achieve."

"Thank you," answered Flora, with a touch of annoyance in her tone. "I
know I was perfectly horrid in those days--oh, how far away they seem,
now--and I am afraid that I have not done much since then toward giving
you a better opinion of me; but you shall see! Oh, Dick, please do not
think badly of me! You have done so _very_ much for me, and have been
so invariabl