And so it surely was. Lightened of nearly all its load, the old hulk was once again afloat. Virginia leaped over the rail and was caught by Margaret’s outstretched hands. They had to cling to each other a moment to regain their balance. Betsy, having heard the cry, ran back toward them.
“The boat!” she ejaculated. “Why, it’s sailing away! Lookee!”
The other two girls nodded. “We know it well enough,” Megsy informed her. “Our darling Virg nearly sailed away on it.”
“Don’t tell the others, please,” the oldest girl pleaded. “Since all is well, there is no need to trouble them.”
They were nearing the shore when Barbara, who was sitting there, pointed excitedly back of them. “Girls! See what we’ve escaped.” Virginia, Margaret and Betsy looked back of them and beheld the old hulk slowly sinking in the deep water beyond the shoal.
“Talk of adventure! I never heard of so much outside of a book!” Barbara declared. “That’s what might be labeled a ‘hair breadth escape.’”
Virginia looked about her. “Well, at least we can’t drown here,” she said, “for, instead of water, we have a wide deserted beach, rocky cliffs and a dense woodland.”
“But we may be eaten by cannibals.” It was the first time that Sally had ventured a remark since landing.
“Luckily there are none in these civilized parts,” Babs replied. “Now, girls,” she continued, “let’s hold a council and decide what we are to eat for breakfast.”
“Goodness, yes, let’s! I’d almost as soon drown as starve.” This from Betsy, who, having seated herself on a rock, was putting on her shoes and stockings. The others did likewise. Megsy, saying dolefully the while, “We might hold twenty councils, but pray, how would that procure us anything to eat?”