"If we can get as many as that to-morrow, we'll be able to make a really fine raft," he said. "Tom, you are saving ail those long screws and nails, aren't you? We shall need them soon."
"Yes—they're all safe," said Tom, showing Andy a tin into which he had put all the screws and nails he had taken oat of the planks.
"Do you think we'd better hide these planks in case the man does come to-morrow, although we feel sure he won't?" asked Jill.
"Well—perhaps we had better," said Andy, who was feeling tired and not at all eager to carry heavy planks about. So he and Tom took the planks one by one and tad mem in thick heather. Then they went to have a good meal; which the girls had been getting ready.
"I've never been so hungry in my life!" said Tom.
"You've said that about a thousand times since we've been on this island," said Jill. "Well—see if you can eat that plateful!"
Tom took the plate. It was full of cold tongue, baked potatoes, and tinned asparagus tips which the man had brought yesterday. There were also sliced pears, tinned milk to eat with them, and hot cocoa. The pears and tinned milk were so delicious that Tom wanted a second helping.
"Good gracious! At the rate you eat you'll want about a thousand tins on the raft!" said Mary, opening another tin of pears. "Andy, I hope you won't forget to take a tin-opener when you go. It would be so awful to be hungry, and have heaps of tinned food round you—and not be able to eat any of it because you had forgotten an opener!"
Andy grinned. "I shan't forget that," he said. "Golly, I am tired!"
They were all tired, and they fell asleep in the tent almost as soon as they lay down on their heathery beds. They awoke late the next day and Andy could not make up his mind whether to get on with the raft or not.