The four children were so excited at getting their boat off the rocks that at first they could do nothing but laugh and chatter and clap their hands. They were all lited out with their long struggle in the sea, but so Joappy that they forgot all about their aching arms and legs, salty mouths and dripping clothes.
The boat lay on her side in the shallow water. Andy examined her carefully. He was sure that if he could nail planks inside, just where she had been stove-in by the rocks, he could patch her up well enough for her to sail home.
"She will let water in, but you two girls can bail her out all the time," said Andy "I'll patch her up enough to get her sailing safely. Golly! I never thought we could do this!"
The children had been so busy that no one, not even Tom, had thought of any breakfast. But Andy suddenly felt very hungry, and sent the girls off to fetch breakfast of some sort. "And bring a jug of hot cocoa, too," he said. "We are all wet through, and it would be nice to have something to warm us."
Tom fetched the tools from the shack and the box of nails and screws and bolts. Andy meant to be very busy indeed. Somehow or other that boat had" to be finished before Tom's escape was known.
After a burned breakfast, they all set to work under Andy's orders. Andy stripped some of the wood from the roof of the cabin to use in the patching of the ship. The girls took out the old nails from the strips. Tom waited on Andy and handed him everything he wanted.
The sound of the hammer echoed over the island. "Do you think the enemy will hear?" asked Jill anxiously.
"Can't help it if they do," said Andy. "We can't hammer without noise! Pass me the biggest nails you've got, Tom."
They all worked steadily for the whole of the morning. And at last Andy heaved a sigh of relief.
"Well—I think that's patched up. She won't last long without being bailed out, because I can't patch her really properly—but the girls can easily bail out whilst you and I sail the boat, Tom."