Our heroes were Crusoes now with a vengeance, but Crusoes after a somewhat strange fashion.
In looking back to all their adventures since they left Sandy Point, they could not but marvel at the wondrous way they had been preserved.
And here they were on board the wrecked derelict, safe and sound for a time, at all events, and with good hopes of soon being picked up.
The first thing the crew had to do was to cut down trees in the woods, to prop the ship up when the tide went farther back.
Meanwhile, taking Tyro with them, and not only a rifle each but a good revolver, Sandie and Willie set out to explore the island. They soon found that it was of no great extent, not more, indeed, than about ten miles long by five or six wide.
This they ascertained by climbing a rather high hill, which had a bold bluff rock right on its peak.
The island altogether was hilly and beautifully wooded, though there were many green and verdant glades in it, and some open glens as well, adown which they found, much to their joy, streamlets of clear water bounding or rippling along, going singing to the sea, in fact.
There was no smoke to be seen anywhere, consequently they came to the conclusion that the island was uninhabited.
This was strange, because there were fish in the streams, there were rock-rabbits on the hills, and cocoa-nut and other trees were laden with fruit. And it is the rule that, wherever on an island or on a coast you find cocoa-nut trees, you find natives.
“What is the mystery, I wonder?” said Willie.