e the island and brave the perils of the boundless
ocean, unless in a rescuing ship.

For a long time they waited. They waved their white flag, and they even
shouted for help.

But the "island" was at some distance from the house or street and none
came to rescue them.

At last, they saw a huge, white-covered wagon slowly moving along the
back drive.

"A sail! A sail!" cried the Captain. "What, ho! Help! Help!"

The other shipwrecked ones joined the cry, and soon the wagon drew a
little nearer, and then stopped.

"Help! Help!" cried the children in chorus.

It was the butcher's wagon, and they knew it well, but this season
there was a new driver who didn't know the Maynard children.

"What's the matther?" he cried, jumping from his seat, and running
across the grass to the quartette.

"We're shipwrecked!" cried Marjorie. "We can't get home. Oh, save us
from a cruel fate! Carry us back to our far-away fireside!"

"Help!" cried Kitty, faintly. "My child is ill, and I can no longer
survive!"

Dramatic Kitty sank in a heap on the ground, and the butcher's boy was
more bewildered than ever.

"Save me!" cried Rosy Posy, toddling straight to him, and putting up her
arms. "Save Buffaro Bill first,--me an' Boffin."

This was more intelligible, and the butcher's boy picked up the smiling
child, and with a few long strides reached his cart, and deposited her
therein.

"Me next! Me next!" screamed Marjorie. "I'm fainting, too!" With a thud,
she fell in a heap beside Kitty.

"The saints presarve us!" exclaimed the frightened Irishman. "Whativer
is the matther wid these childher? Is it pizened ye are?"

"No, only starving," said Marjorie, but her faint voice was belied by
the merry twinkle in her eyes, which she couldn't suppress at the sight
of the man's consternation.

"Aha! It's shammin' ye are! I see now."

"It's a game," explained Kingdon. "We're shipwrecked on a desert island,
and you're a passing captain of a small sailing vessel. Will you take us
aboard?"

"Shure, sir," said the other, his face aglow with Irish wit and
intelligence. "I persave yer manin'. 'Deed I will resky ye, but how will
ye get through the deep wathers to me ship forninst?"

"You wade over, and carry this lady," said King, pointing to Kitty, "and
the rest of us will swim."

"Thot's a foine plan; come along, miss;" and in a moment Kitty was swung
up to the brave rescuer's shoulder, while King and Midget were already
"swimming" a