Harry and John had their guns in an instant, and started out on the quest for food.
"Where did you get the coffee and corned beef?" asked Ralph.
"We put up the beef ourselves, and there is plenty of this kind of coffee on the island."
"But you have sugar, too."
"Yes; we made that and also have plenty of honey."
This was surprising information for the boys.
"But how did you make the guns? Where did you get the iron?"
"We dug it out of the ground and put up our own foundry, and have a water wheel and a machine shop."
All this was said with a show of pardonable pride; and he continued: "Wait until you see where we live and how we have things fixed up."
The shots which were plainly heard indicated something good to eat, and before the hunters arrived the stove was removed from the wagon, and George had a good fire started.