erries and a
supply of sugar. They had found on breaking open the cask that the sugar
was somewhat damaged by the sea-water, but this had not penetrated far,
and by drying and repounding that touched by the water, no great harm
would have been done. The next morning the shears were erected, and they
set to work. It took them two days' labour before they could clear enough
of the cargo out to get at the cases. They were not troubled much by
water, for at the stern-post there was but a depth of four feet on the
reef, while at her bows there was nearly twenty. Working as they did at
the after hatchway, there were but five feet of water below, and the
uppermost tier of cases was consequently above the water-level. The
barrels of cartridges were still further on, and it was the fourth day
before they were reached.

Three of these barrels were got up, and when two cases of muskets had been
opened, the weapons cleaned, and made ready for service, they felt a sense
of security to which they had been strangers since they arrived at the
island. There was now an urgent matter to be attended to. Hitherto they
had drunk wine at their meals, but the contents of the skins were getting
very low, and it had become absolutely necessary that they should without
delay search for water. As there were hills of some size in the interior,
they felt confident that there must be plenty to be found. The great point
was whether it would be in the neighbourhood, or at a distance from the
ship. This was a vital question, for useful as their raft was for coming
and going between the wreck and the shore, it was far too heavy and clumsy
for transporting their valuables any distance; and without hatchets or
carpenters' tools they could not construct a raft by breaking up the deck,
and the cutting down of trees with their pocket-knives was not to be
thought of.

Accordingly the three set out on foot one morning, each carrying a musket
and a store of ammunition, a portion of cooked ham, and some biscuits,
together with a bottle containing the last of their stock of wine. When
they rounded the point of the little bay they gave a shout of
satisfaction, for but fifty yards away a small stream flowed from the
forest across the sand into the sea.

"What a pity we did not search for this before," Stephen said, as throwing
themselves down each scooped a hole in the sand, and took a long drink of
the fresh water. "We could have saved our wine for some special o