SHORE LIFE.
The little party on the beach remained as if spell-bound while the fire destroyed what seemed like the last link which bound them to home. The only sounds to be heard, save the roaring of the flames, were when a deep, quivering sigh came from Walter's lips, or Joe gave vent to a suppressed groan.
The fire leaped and danced as if in fiendish glee, devouring the wood-work of the Sea Bird, and warping the machinery beyond all further usefulness, until there was no longer anything above water for it to feed upon. Then slowly, with many a protesting hiss and puff of steam, it gradually died away, the last smouldering ember expiring in less than two hours from the discovery of the danger.
Nothing was left of what had been a jaunty little craft save the blackened lines which marked the position of the hull lying in six feet of water.
When all was over and the smoke no longer arose, Bob said with an evident effort:
"Well, lads, we're what you might call shipwrecked at last, though it jes' the same as took two good vessels an' a tug to finish us up. Whinin' won't do any good, an' we've got to make some kind of a start at buildin' a hut, for we're here till a craft puts in by mistake an' takes us off."
"I'm the one to blame for this last disaster," Joe said moodily. "Nobody but a fool would have left a roaring fire in the galley without so much as looking at it now and then!"
"Don't go to kickin' up a fuss with yourself," Bob said soothingly. "We all know it was an accident, for you set even more by the steamer than we did. What puzzles me, though, is how it could 'a' happened, no matter how much fire there was."
"In order to heat the iron I took off the top of the stove and opened the entire front. On leaving I paid no attention to closing it, and of course some of the coals must have fallen out."
"We was rich once, anyhow," Jim said with a sigh. "It's too bad we worked so hard to get the gold aboard, for it didn't have a chance to do us any good."
"Jes' about this time grub is worth more to us than all the money pirates ever saw!" Bob replied quite sharply, as if realizing the necessity of arousing his companions from their unavailing sorrow. "We've got a tidy bit of work that must be done between this an' sunset, an' it's time we were beginning."
As he spoke he went up the beach a short distance, to where the raft had grounded in twelve inches of water, and began to unload her, carrying the goods beyond the line of sand to the edge of the thicket.
He was not allowed to labor alone but a few moments. The others were soon at his side, working with a will; and this necessary exertion was most beneficial, since it prevented the little party from dwelling on their misfortunes.
The awning was among the articles saved from the steamer, and the first task after the raft had been unloaded was to set this up as a tent in the same place where the red-nosed man and his companions had encamped. Then it was necessary to build a fire-place, bring all the goods from the shore, and stow the perishable articles under the canvas, where they would not be destroyed in case of a storm.
In order to complete this work before sunset it was essential that each member of the party should do his best regardless of fatigue, and when the task was finished, just as the sun began to descend beyond the horizon, the boys were so nearly exhausted that Bob said:
"Crawl under the tent and lay down. I'll see to what little cookin' we've got on hand, an' it shall be your watch below till mornin'."
The canvas had been fastened to four trees in such a manner as to form a shed-like roof, and while it would be of but little service in event of a heavy storm, it afforded sufficient shelter to protect the homeless ones from the dew and the sun; therefore until the weather changed it was all that could be desired.
