Tom pushed out the raft and jumped up on it. He took a paddle and guided it. Andy let the sail billow out. The wind caught it and the little raft leapt along over the waves like a live thing f
"I say! It can get along, can't it!" cried Jill, jumping up and down in excitement. "Look how it bobs over the waves!"
The boys waved wildly to the girls. Little waves splashed over the deck of the raft and wetted the boys' legs. If they ran into a stormy sea they would soon be wet through—but at the moment they cared nothing for what might happen! They were very excited and very anxious to guide their little raft on the right course.
The sail flapped and billowed finely. Andy had rigged it most cleverly, and the wind shot the little craft along swiftly.
"It's going nearly as fast as the ship!" said Tom in delight.
"No—it isn't really," said Andy.-shaking his head. "No raft could ever equal a boat for speed—it's so clumsy and heavy. But I must say our raft isn't bad! Look out—there's a fat wave coming!"
The raft sailed into the wave—slap! It drenched Tom, and he laughed and shook himself like a dog. The sun was out and the boy's clothes soon dried.
The boys looked back at the shore of their island, which now seemed far away. They could just make out the two girls, who had now climbed to the top Of the cliff and were standing there, watching the raft out of sight.
"I hope Jill and Mary will be all right," said Tom. "Poor kids—it was awful having to leave them alone."
"Yes," said Andy. "But it was the only thing to be done. We've happened on very big things, Tom—and so we've got to be big enough and brave enough to meet them."