“That settles it;” and Tim and Bobby were considered elected to the responsible offices of cooks and guardians of the food.
“Now, I go in for makin’ Jimmy Newcomb captain of the ship, an’ he must boss the job when we’re out on a trip, an’ when we’re landin’.”
This time Tim, being already one of the most important officers of the expedition, considering it necessary to assist in the election of some of the others, said, quickly:
“That’s jest the thing.”
After Bill had appointed certain of the boys to cut wood and bring water, he said, with just a shade of hesitation in his voice, as if he was troubled with bashfulness:
“Now somebody’s got to be captain of the huntin’, an’ if you boys are willin’ I’ll do that; an’ whatever kind of wild animals we scare up, I promise to be the first one to rush in an’ cut their throats after Tip has caught ’em.”
This was considered as a sort of oath of office, and each member of the party made some sign of agreement in Bill’s self-election, feeling perfectly satisfied that he should fill what was looked upon as a dangerous position.
After they had rowed at least three hours, different members of the crew insisted that they must have gone entirely around the island, and were then proceeding toward home; but Jimmy quickly put a stop to any grumbling. Both he and Bill knew when they were about opposite the village, for they had been there several times with Captain Thompson, and they were both equally positive that they had yet some miles to go before gaining the extreme end of the island.
It was about eleven o’clock, and nearly every boy was tired out with his work at the oar, when Jimmy ordered them to stop rowing, and pointed inshore.
The view which presented itself was a lovely one. Two points of rock projected some distance into the sea, forming a little harbor, at the head of which was a smooth, shelving beach of sand. Just back of the beach was a dense grove of pine-trees, and through them led a narrow path, now so covered with vines and weeds as to show it had not been used, by man at least, for some time.