That dinner was very good to eat.
But now they gat them back to the ship, and it took all the afternoon to lengthen the guys, by splicing on additional pieces, for the work had to be very strong to stand the strain.
The boat was lowered and launched next day, and it really was new life for them to paddle around the coast in her.
The boat was anchored in a little cove every night now, and in her they slept. It was a capital arrangement, and they had no more bother with the snakes.
But on nights when the sea was rough--which was not very often, because when it blew, it did so in dead earnest, and soon had done with it--they hauled her well up on the sand, and slept peacefully as usual.
They went to the hill-top almost every day--but no, no, no, they never saw a sail, and they began to think they would live and die on Great Snake Island.
But as far as the boat was concerned, they grew bolder and bolder.
They stepped a little mast and a brief jib-boom, and set sail therein, and when the wind was favourable went quite a long way out. At last they determined to visit the far off and greater island. So one day, when the wind was favourable, they loaded up with everything needful, hoisted their canvas and started.
They had taken their rifles and plenty of ammunition with them, but Kep prayed that they might not have to use them.
This prayer was heard. But they found no savages on the islands, which they reached at last, nor was there any other land visible all the wide horizon around.