how Rollitt could have got in any more
than any one else. His suggestion made a deep impression. It touched
them to feel that, amid all his distresses, Rollitt was loyal to the
School shop; and if anything was needed to spur them on to his rescue,
this did it.

They bought up the remaining eighteen biscuits between them, and sallied
forth.

"You see," said Wally, "it's much more likely to be the island than the
mountain. There's water there, for one thing."

"There's water on the mountain," said Ashby; "plenty."

"But not good to drink, you ass!" argued Wally.

"And there's that old broken boat-house to live in, and lots of wood to
make fires, and ducks to bag and fish to catch. I say! I expect he's
having rather a lark."

The prospect of sharing in his wild sports urged them on still faster.

At the lake-side a new problem arose. If Rollitt was on the island, how
had he got there? And, still more important, how were they to get
there? Widow Wisdom's boat had already been laid up for the winter; and
the few others, which in the summer were generally kept at the river-
mouth for the use of the boys, had been taken back to Penchurch. The
only craft available was a flat-bottomed punt used by fishermen, and at
present moored to a stake at the river-bank. It was capacious,
certainly, but not exactly the sort of boat in which to get up much
pace, particularly as its sole apparent mode of propulsion was by means
of two very long boat-hooks, one on either side. These details,
however, presented few obstacles to the minds of the enterprising
explorers. The punt was in many ways adapted for a voyage such as they
proposed to take. There was room to walk about in it. Nay, who should
say the boxing-gloves and football might not have scope for themselves
within its ample lines?

The one question was whether the boat-hooks were long enough to touch
bottom all the way from the shore to the island. Wally paced one, and
found it measured eighteen feet.

"Ought to do," said he; "it's bound not to be deeper than that."

So the punt, which was christened the "Cock-house" for the occasion, was
loosed from her moorings, the Abernethys and knuckle-bone and other
stores were put on board, the boat-hooks, by a combined effort, were got
into position, and the party embarked for the rescue of Rollitt.

Thanks to the stream, their progress at first was satisfactory. They
were delighted to find how easily they went. Wal