ragged down to the yard. Then strong gangs set
to work to square them, and the carpenters to cut them into planks.

The first lieutenant remained with them, encouraging them at their work,
while the junior officers and midshipmen were divided among the various
gangs. By six o'clock, when the _Furious_ signalled for all hands to come
on board, they had indeed done a good day's work. A pile of planks lay
ready to be used as required. The carpenters had made some progress with a
keel, which they were laboriously chopping out from the straight trunk of
a large tree. By evening of the next day this was finished and placed in
position. On the third day some started to shape the stem- and
stern-posts, while the head-carpenter made from some thin planks templates
of the ribs, and set others to chop out the ribs to fit.

In two more days all was ready for fastening on the planks. A hundred and
fifty men can get through an amazing amount of labour when they work well
and heartily. The planks were bent by main strength to fit in their
places, and as there was an abundance of nails and other necessary
articles on board, the sheathing was finished in two days. The rest of the
work was comparatively easy. While the deck was being laid the hull was
caulked and painted, and the two masts, sails, and rigging prepared. The
boat had no bulwarks, it being considered that she would be a much better
sea-boat without them, as in case of shipping a sea the water would run
off at once. The hatchways fore and aft were made very small, with
close-fitting hatches covered with tarpaulin.

The captain was delighted when she was finished.

"She is really a fine boat," he said, "with her forty feet of length and
fifteen of beam. It has taken longer to build her than I had expected, but
we had not reckoned sufficiently on the difficulties. Everything, however,
has now been done to make her seaworthy, so those of us who remain here
may feel sure that she will reach Port Royal safely. In case of a gale the
sails must be lowered and lashed to the deck, and all hands must go below
and fasten the hatchways securely. She has no ballast except her stores,
but I think she will be perfectly safe; there is very little chance of her
capsizing."

"With such beam and such a depth of keel," said the first lieutenant, "she
could not possibly capsize. In case of a tornado the masts might very well
be taken out of her and used as a floating anchor to keep her head t