y cut down with his knife branches
from the shrubs near at hand. They had little doubt that their friends
on the rock knew what they were about. While thus employed, a shout
made them turn their heads, and, looking up, they saw Paul, with the
spar on his shoulder, running towards them. When he came up, he had an
extraordinary tale to tell. The spar, which had been left planted in
the sand, had been removed. He had hunted about for it in every
direction, and had almost given up the search, when he saw it lying on
the ground in the direction of the hut. It was a sign that there must
be somebody on the island besides the black, as with his wooden stumps
he could scarcely have got as far and back again without having been
seen. Paul reported also that he had seen a vessel a long way to
leeward, but that she appeared to be beating up towards the island.
However, all their thoughts were required for the construction of their
raft. The rope had not been removed from the spar, and this was a great
assistance in strengthening it. The raft, however, without the means of
guiding it, would be of little use. They had, therefore, to construct a
couple of paddles and a rudder, and they then found that, with the help
of two small spars, they could form a makeshift mast and yard, their
shirts and pocket-handkerchiefs fastened together forming a sail. This
would carry them to the rock, as the wind was off the shore, and they
must trust to the assistance of their friends to get back. What was
their disappointment, on stepping on the raft, to find that it would
only well support two people, and that although a third could be carried
on it, a fourth would most certainly upset it, and bring it under water.
The two midshipmen, therefore, agreed to go, and to leave Paul on
shore, much to his disappointment. "Shove us off," cried O'Grady to
Paul, as he let fall the sail, to which their neck-handkerchiefs and
stockings served as sheets.

Devereux steered with the long spar, which had a piece of board fastened
to the end of it, and O'Grady tended the sail with one hand, aided by
his teeth, and paddled with the other. They made fair progress, but
Paul watched them anxiously, for the raft was difficult to steer, and it
was very possible that they might miss the rock, and, if so, have hard
work to save themselves from being carried out to sea. The people on
the rock waved their hands to encourage them. The wind came somewhat
more on