“If I could only see a doctor or get to a hospital, maybe they could do something for it before it got too bad,” went on Andy. “I guess I need attention as much as Small does.”
As the boys did not wish to carry the pile of wood brought in from the breaking up of the improvised raft, they shifted the camp a little closer to where the wood lay, and there put up the tent in more permanent fashion, digging a trench around the back and both sides, so that in case of rain the water would run off into the sand. They also fixed some better bedding, and from some stones built a small fireplace where they might cook their meals to better advantage.
It was about the middle of the afternoon when Randy, who had been walking up the beach in the direction of the high rocks, came running back in great excitement.
“Do you see it? Do you see it?” he called out eagerly.
“Do we see what?” asked several of the others in chorus.
“A ship! There she is! And I believe she’s coming to this island!”
All gazed in the direction to which Randy pointed, and far out at sea they saw what seemed to be a bark with all sails set.
“She’s either coming this way or else she’s going to round the eastern end of the island,” said Fred.
“Let’s do what we can to signal her!” exclaimed Jack.
The boys had already talked over the matter of signals, and now they started up the fire and then heaped upon it some damp brushwood, thereby causing a dense smoke. Then two of them went down the beach, waving a bit of sailcloth while the other two went up the beach and did the same thing.