For a long while the searchers found nothing of interest outside of several small fish they discovered flapping around in a pool well up on the beach.
“There are a couple of meals, anyhow,” said Jack. “That is, if we can make a fire to cook them over.”
“Oh, we’ll make a fire all right enough. I’ve seen it done several times, when the party didn’t have any matches,” declared Fred. “Of course, it isn’t very easy.”
“I’ll tell you what we can do,” suggested Randy. “If there are any birds around we might bring them down either with the firearms or with bows and arrows.”
The three Rover boys continued their explorations until almost noon, and then, to their satisfaction, caught sight of the raft being slowly pounded to pieces on a series of keys just outside the tiny bay previously mentioned.
“There she is!” exclaimed Jack, who was the one to make the discovery.
The improvised raft still hung together, and so far as they could see their stores were still upon it. But the sea was pounding it heavily, sending the spray completely over it.
“Maybe if we had a line heavy enough we could haul the raft ashore,” suggested Randy.
He had scarcely spoken when the force of the waves made the raft break loose from the keys upon which it was stuck, and an instant later it surged shoreward.
“It’s coming in!” cried Fred. “Let’s see if we can’t haul it up somehow or other.”