The building of the workshed occupied the castaways for the best part of a week, although they were ably assisted by their slaves the savages.
On the particular part of the beach where the shed was erected there was a nice slope towards the water, though it was not too steep; and so determined was Fred that his yacht should take the water like a duck, that he not only laid a slip for her descent, but had a strong railing of stanchions built on each side, so that an accident was simply out of the question.
He was determined also that in building his yacht, beauty and appearance should be sacrificed to safety and strength.
And now came the laying down of the keel. He and Cassia-bud had wandered in the woods for weeks scanning the trees, and at last, half-way up a hill they had been fortunate enough to find a tree, the upper part of whose trunk had been bent by the winds in such a way that it would suit admirably. When trimmed for the keel the bent portion would represent the fore part, that and the keel would be all in one piece. Well knowing that the whole build of a craft greatly depends upon the straightness, strength, and justness of the keel, much time was spent in forming this, and getting it fixed in position. But at long last Fred felt certain he had made a fair beginning. And now came the question of knees and ribs, the general skeleton, including the cross-beams, to keep all in place and to support the decks.
As they proceeded with the making of the skeleton, all hands, including even the savages, began to take an intense interest in the work, and to go at it morn, noon, and evening cheerfully. But until he commenced to plan and make and place the ribs, Fred had had no idea there was so much study and thought required in building even a boat like this. It should be remembered too that he was not only deficient in some most important tools, but in iron and nails as well.
One day he held a regular survey on nails, and finding he had so few he resolved to use pegs of hard wood wherever possible, reserving the iron for the most important parts.
After three weeks of the hardest work and study ever Fred had endured in his life, the whole framework and skeleton of the vessel was completed, and great was the joy of the castaways accordingly. And to give the young man his due as a ship-builder, it must be confessed that though her lines would not be by any means perfection, and would neither rival those of the model yacht Thistle or an Aberdeen clipper, they were not so far out by any manner of means. Nor would she be lopsided or in any way askew.
Being quite certain and satisfied on these points, the work of planking the craft was cautiously and carefully commenced. Luckily they had the best of planes, and they had splendid wood, so this part of the work went on smoothly and merrily enough, and every day Fred's men, as he called them, improved in the niceties of their trade of ship-carpentering.
But how genuinely tired and hungry they used to be of an evening!
Ah! well, the dinner that Cassia-bud prepared entirely banished the hunger, and a rest afterwards either in the cottage-ornée as a book was being read, or outside around the camp fire, made them forget all the toils and worries of the day. In fact, every evening the castaways gave themselves up body and soul to the enjoyment of the dolce far niente. In plainer language, they had nothing to do, and they did it well.