The weather was not so good now. The sun was not so warm, and clouds sailed over the sky, bringing showers of rain at times. The children often had to sit in the tent, and they longed to begin making the raft.
"I don't want to start it till I'm sure the man has forgotten about the tumble-down shack," said Andy. "Yesterday he brought his boat in to this beach instead of the next one, and hardly looked over the island at all. If he comes to "this cove to-day, we can begin the raft this afternoon."
The man came at noon as usual. This time he DTo-ugnt a large supply of food, and tried to make the children understand that he would not be back for a few days. He pointed to three fingers and shook his head.
"I think he means he won't be back for three days," said Andy, his heart jumping for joy. He nodded to the man, who, instead, of looking over the island as he usually did, got straight back into his boat and rowed off.
"Well, if that isn't a bit of tack!" said Andy joyfully, as soon as he had gone. "I'm sure he won't be back for some days—and he's brought us a marvellous Supply of food, that will just do beautifully for the raft I We can safely begin building it this afternoon!"
Chapter 21
The Building of the Raft
The four children tackled the shack that afternoon and tore out as many planks as they could.
"Pile them up in different sizes," ordered Andy. ' "Come and help with this long plank, Tom—it's too heavy for me to pull out alone."
By the end of that day the children had sixteen planks of different sizes piled up. Andy was pleased.