CHAPTER VIII.
THE BEGINNING AND END OF A VOYAGE.
The first care of the boys the next morning was to dig their well. This was a comparatively trifling task, as they had only to dig four or five feet through soft alluvial soil and sand. Instead of making perpendicular sides to their well, they dug it out in the shape of a bowl, so that they could walk down to the water and dip it up as they needed it.
Having a hut to live in and a well from which to get fresh water, they were now free to begin the sport for which they had come to the island. They went fishing first, of course, that being the obvious thing to do, but after a few hours of this the tide became too full, and the fish ceased to bite satisfactorily.
"Let's crusoe a little," said Jack, winding up his line.
"In what particular way?" asked Ned.
"Why, let's sail around our domain and see how the island looks on its other sides. Perhaps we may discover the savages, or find some game."
"A good idea; but we must go back to camp first, to leave our fish and get the gun and the sail; and while we're there we'd better get some dinner."
So said, so done. Dinner was very hastily dispatched, as the boys were anxious to get off, in order that the circuit of the island might be completed before night.
"It looks like rain," said Ned, as he shook out the sail, "but we don't mind a wetting."