The children stood up and watched the little fishing-boat drawing in to shore. It was a real beauty, fresh with new paint, and with its red sail billowing out in the breeze.
It came in to the beach and a man jumped out. He saw the children and hailed them. "Hie, give a hand here!"
They ran to help. "Whose boat is ibis?" asked Tom.
"I've got to find the owner," said the man. "It's for the boy whose name has been given to the boat."
The children looked at the name on the boat. There, painted boldly, was Andy's own name—ANDY!
"Andy! The boat is called Andy!" squealed Jill. "Oh, Andy, does that mean it's for you?"
Andy stared at the boatman in astonishment and joy. "It can't be for me!" he said.
"Well, if you're Andy, it's yours," said the boatman. "I understand that it's a little reward from the Government of our country for good services; wasn't it you who discovered the secret of those islands, and lost your own boat in doing so?"
"Golly!" said Andy, and could say no more. He stood and stared at the lovely boat in delight and pride. It was the finest in the bay. It was beautiful all over. Never, never could Andy ever have saved enough money to buy a boat like this!
The other three children were full of joy. They had been so sorry for Andy when his boat had been lost, for they knew that he and his father got their living from fishing. And now Andy had a much better boat—they couldn't keep back their joy. They danced and shouted and clapped Andy on the back till the boy almost fell over.