"And now, children," said Tom, when he was once more seated in front of the camp fire, "the question of lights is settled for good. Frank and I are going to make candles out of that bear's tallow."
"Yes, Pansy, we are. Oh, we shouldn't be half Crusoes if we couldn't make candles!"
So the boys arranged to start work the very next morning at sunrise.
"But first let us have a look through this beautiful isle of the sea, while the girls are asleep. There may be more bears. Briton, you must stay and watch. Veevee, you may come."
Though Veevee searched every bush and grove, no bear was found. The one Tom had so cleverly killed must have crossed to the island alone by the bridge of rocks.
So, after breakfast, the boys built their fire. With big blocks of lava they made a sort of stove, and on top of this was placed a large cup-like stone, which they had chanced to find. Into this they put the tallow to melt. In the meantime Tom pulled a quantity of thick rushes, and set Frank and the girls to peel them, while the dogs looked on as if wondering what it was all about.
"It's something to eat, I suppose," said Briton, looking very wise.
"A sort of soup of some kind from the smell of it, I should think," was Veevee's remark.
The long threads of white pith were about as thick as a penholder, and these were to form the wicks. When dried they were tied two and two by one end.