Then he ran forward, and grasped the young man's hand.
"I wouldn't taste a drop of my grog for the world, since the gal may want it. Still do ye see, human natur' is human natur', and I'm bound to say that I have been selfish in this matter, to the great sorrer of Tom Turk."
Two bowers were soon erected of twigs and leaves; one for the accommodation of the men, the other for Mary.
With their jackets and a multitude of dried leaves, the men formed a pleasant little retreat for the young girl, who thanked them for their pains.
Towards sundown the gale abated. The men took advantage of this to construct, with some fragments of the wreck drifted ashore, a raft, upon which they paddled out to the reef, where several barrels and boxes from the wrecked vessel had drifted. These were found to contain hard bread and salt beef, enough to last them for several weeks.
With some difficulty they got the valuable articles over the reef, and they were paddling them to land, when they saw Mary, whom they had left upon the beach, beckoning to them with an air of fear and excitement.
"We had better let the provision go," said Harry.
"No!" exclaimed Brand, "I am captain here. The gal has probably got scared at nothing."
"Come, Turk!" said Harry, "if this fellow don't choose to follow us, we will leave him."