everything already on shore, but the two rafts taken to
pieces, and dragged up likewise.

The weather continued so fine that Tom and Desmond determined, before
hauling up the boat, to go back to the wreck for further stores, and to
bring away as many rafts of timber as they could obtain. The doctor
said he must remain on shore to work at the still. For his assistants
he chose Billy Blueblazes and Peter the black. Billy was not ingenious,
but, as the doctor observed, "he could collect wood and blow the
bellows."

Billy was at first indignant on being told that he was thus to be
employed, but after due reflection he came to the conclusion that it
would be easier work than tearing off planking from the wreck, or
pulling an oar under a hot sun for several hours each day. The first
thing to be done was to set up the forge. All hands had turned out at
daybreak, so that the doctor was able to begin work before the boat
party shoved off.

It took them two hours to get to the wreck. They had hard work before
them. First they made a thorough search for all remaining provisions,
iron-work, canvas, ropes, and blocks. These were placed aft, ready for
lowering on to the raft as soon as one could be put together. Sailors
naturally feel it a somewhat melancholy task to break up a ship. It
seems as if all hope of its being of further use is gone, but probably
the party did not trouble themselves with any sentimental ideas on the
subject just then; all they thought of was the best, way to tear up the
planking, and to secure as much timber as possible. They indeed were
cheered with the thoughts that they should be able to build a trim
little craft out of the battered hull, to carry them to some place from
whence they could once more get back to Old England. For hours they
laboured away with sledge-hammers, crowbars, and saws. The bowsprit was
first got out, then all the remaining portions of the bulwarks wore cut
away. They then commenced on the upper deck, and as the planks were
torn up they were lowered overboard and lashed alongside.

"To my mind, a pretty strong gale would save us a mighty deal of
trouble," observed Tim, as he was working away. "The say in a few hours
would do more work than we can get through in as many days."

"Very likely, my boy," observed Jerry; "but where would all the timber
go to? it would not come floating of its own accord to our
landing-place, and I suspect it would not be of much use w