requires repairs; she has neither mast, nor
sails, nor oars, and none of us three is well acquainted with the
management of a boat. Wait patiently; when the liquor is gone we may
perhaps get the boat repaired, and a crew to sail in her. The first
thing I propose to do is to rig up a flagstaff, so that we may have a
better chance of attracting a passing vessel; and as we have plenty of
fuel, we ought to keep a good blaze during the night. This would have
been done at first had the mate kept sober."

Owen and his two companions immediately set to work to carry out his
suggestion. An ensign, although somewhat torn, had been washed on
shore, and spars of various sizes lay on the beach. These they dragged
to the highest part of the bank. By lashing them together they got a
flagstaff nearly forty feet long. They found sufficient rope only for
two stays, and having fixed one of the stays securely to the sand by the
aid of stakes driven deep into it, the butt end was placed in the
ground. Owen and Nat then going over to the opposite side hauled away,
while Mike assisted to lift up the flagstaff, which was thus in a short
time set up. Provided the wind remained moderate, they had no doubt
that it would stand.

"Should a vessel pass within four or five miles of the sand-bank it
will, I hope, be seen," observed Owen, "and it may be visible even
further off, if the weather is clear."

Owen had at first entertained some fears that Mike would join the other
party, but the Irishman remained faithful, and did with alacrity
everything he advised.

For a whole day or more none of the men had been seen, nor had any sound
come from the direction of the camp. Owen began to fear that something
might have happened to them. Mike offered towards night to go and
ascertain how matters stood.

"Just keep up a bit of a fire to light me back," he said. "I'll soon
find out if they are sleeping all this time."

He set off, and Owen and Nat waited some time expecting his return.
Still he did not come back. They began to fear that an accident had
happened to him, or that he might have remained, notwithstanding his
good intentions, with his drunken shipmates.

At last they heard some one approaching.

"All right!" cried Mike; "I've got the fish-kettle into the bargain.
Every man alive of them is fast asleep, for they have drunk out the last
drop of their liquor. I sounded each cask, and made sure it was empty.
They will for a good