"Never mind! I can carry your things and do as you tell me," said Eliza; and the next minute the spade and bundle were transferred from the little boy's shoulder to Eliza's and they went on to the beach walking in this fashion.
"What now?" asked Nurse. "What have you got there, Eliza?" she added.
Eliza shook her head. She believed it was stones, but she did not say so.
"Eliza isn't her name now. She is my Man Friday," answered Eustace.
"Oh, I see! Well, what are you and your Man Friday going to do this morning?" asked Nurse, relieved to find that whatever the little fellow contemplated doing, Eliza would be at hand to keep him out of danger and mischief.
"We are going to look over this island first thing, of course," answered the boy, "and we can't waste our time here. We shall find you by-and-by, I dare say, and then you and baby and Winny will be savages, and you must do what I tell you."
"Very well; but that part had better come after dinner, because you will have to do as I tell you, and come home to dinner in good time, and you must look after your Man Friday, and see he don't get away."
This, of course, was intended as a hint to Eliza, and Nurse knew she understood it as such. And the two went off for their ramble, and Nurse did not see them again until dinner-time, and then Eliza's bundle had somewhat diminished in size.
It was Nurse's custom to put the children to bed for an hour after dinner, and they usually fell asleep in the course of a few minutes. But to-day Eustace pleaded that he and Man Friday might go off on their rambles again as soon as dinner was over.
"We have found a cave, and, of course, we can sleep there," announced Eustace, running to get his hat.