Oh no, Uncle Thomas!
Very well, boys, to-morrow evening I will go on with Captain Falconer's adventures, and we will see how Frank likes this sort of life on a desert island.
Ah, but Uncle Thomas, this was not a nice island, like Robinson Crusoe's! There were no large trees to make a canoe of, or any goats; and I don't see very well where Friday is to come from!
I understand you, Frank; you would like it only if you had the choosing of your place, with plenty of conveniences of every kind. Good night.
CHAPTER II. UNCLE THOMAS CONTINUES HIS NARRATIVE OF CAPTAIN FALCONER'S ADVENTURES.
One morning, during Falconer's residence on the sandy island, of which I told you last evening, a violent storm arose, which continued till noon. In the meantime, Falconer discovered a ship laboring with the waves, and having watched it earnestly for several hours, he at last saw it tossed by the violence of the tempest completely out of the water upon the shore. He ran to see if there were anybody whom he could assist, when he found four men (being all there were in the vessel) busy saving what they could. When he hailed them in English, they seemed mightily surprised; and asked him how he came there, and how long he had been on the island. When he told them his story, and described the barrenness of the place, they were very much concerned for themselves, for they feared there was no possibility of getting their bark off the sands, the wind having forced her so far; and began to bemoan each other's misfortunes. To Falconer, however, their mishap afforded a source of secret satisfaction, for he soon found that they had on board plenty of everything.
They now set to work in order to secure such provisions as were in the ship, as well as such utensils as they would find useful, including a fowling-piece and some gunpowder. They then took off the sails from the yards, and, with some pieces of timber, raised a hut big enough to hold twenty men, under which they put the beds which they got from the bark. It is true they had no shelter from the wind, for the bushes were so low they were of no use; but for all this, Falconer now thought himself in a palace, and was as merry as if he had been once more at Jamaica, or even at home in his own country. In short, when they had been there some time, they began to be very easy, and having plenty of food, were content to wait patiently till God should send them assistance.