These remarks were made while the officers and men sat together at breakfast. They were all in good spirits, thankful that they were so well supplied with everything they could possibly require. Had it not been for the doctor, however, how different would have been their condition! In a day or two they would have been suffering all the horrors of thirst, and must ultimately have perished miserably, but now they could obtain as much fresh water as they could require for drinking and cooking.
“One thing, however, we must remember, that our provisions will in time come to an end,” observed Tom. “We must use the most perishable first and keep the best preserved for our voyage.”
“But we shall be able to catch fish, and we need not go on short commons, I hope,” said Billy.
“You shall have all you catch,” said Desmond, laughing; “but have we any hooks?”
“Lashings, sir,” answered Tim. “I found a bag full in the carpenter’s store-room, and threw them down among the other things.”
The hooks and lines were soon discovered, but at present there was too much work to be done to allow any one to go fishing. The hut was very soon finished. It was placed with its back to the wind.
There were plenty of spars, which, without cutting, served for rafters, and over them were stretched a couple of sails, lashed securely down, so that no ordinary hurricane could have blown them away. In front, sheltered from the wind, were established the two fires, one for cooking, the other for the still. To give a sufficient supply of water, it was necessary to keep the latter always alight.
Gerald, who had been the first to propose building a vessel, was anxious to lay down the keel.
“I should be as eager as you are, did I not think that we may possibly be taken off by some passing vessel,” said Tom. “As soon as the gale is over we must set up a flag-staff, and a good tall one too, so that it may be seen at a long distance, as no vessel is likely, intentionally, to come near these reefs.”
“But we’ve only got an American flag, and I should not like to be taken for a Yankee,” exclaimed Desmond, without considering what he was saying.