y heaping quantities of fresh branches on the fire till it was large
enough to roast an ox, the party managed to pass the night in
comparative comfort, in spite of cold and sleet. Hayward watched the
fire during the first part of the night. Then he was relieved by our
coxswain, who was succeeded by Joe Slag, and no Vestal virgins ever
tended their fire with more anxious solicitude than those three men
guarded theirs during that first night on the island.

As if to make up for the sufferings of the past few days, the morning
that followed broke with unclouded splendour, and the rising sun shone
upon as beautiful a scene as could well be imagined, for it revealed an
island richly clothed with verdure, which, rising out of a calm blue
sea, sloped gradually upwards, until its western ridge met the bright
sky. Evidently that terminating ridge was the place whence descended
the precipitous cliffs, along which they had sailed immediately after
leaving the cave of the wreck.

There is no accounting for the eccentricities of weak-minded females,
whether pretty or plain. The first thing that pretty little Mrs
Mitford exclaimed on opening her eyes and beholding the glorious view
was--

"Oh! I _do_ so wish that we had oysters for breakfast!"

If she had expressed a desire for elephant chops, she could not have
taken Eva Hayward more by surprise. As for Nell Massey, she went off
into a hilarious giggle.

"I fear there are no oysters hereabouts," said Hayward, "but I shouldn't
wonder if we were to find mussels and things of that sort. Come, lads,
we'll go and have a search for them, while the ladies fill and boil our
kettle."

Limpets, mussels, and other shell-fish were found in great abundance.
With these warm soup was soon made, and after a hearty breakfast,
Hayward organised the party in two bands which were sent off in
different directions to explore the island, Peggy and her husband being
left behind to cook the dinner and keep up the fire.

STORY ONE, CHAPTER 9.

For several days the shipwrecked party continued to live chiefly on
limpets and mussels gathered on the sea-shore. Only a very little of
the pork was used, for the purpose of converting the food into soup. As
they could not tell, of course, how long they might be compelled to live
there, it behoved them to be very careful of the food-supply already in
possession. Fortunately, the weather continued fine, though cold, so
that it was not necessary