“Very right, sir,” observed the boatswain. “I have a notion that we should also keep a look-out along the coast for any vessel which may be passing. If we remain up here, any number might go by and not discover us. As soon as the weather moderates, I’ll therefore, with Mr Shafto’s leave, take the boat down the harbour, and search for some point where we may establish a look-out place, and set up a flagstaff with which we can signalise any ship coming in sight.”
Harry at once agreed to Bollard’s proposal, and Captain Twopenny volunteered to accompany the doctor on his proposed exploring expedition.
In the meantime, as the weather continued too bad to move to any distance, it was arranged that all hands should turn to at house-building. The spot selected for the little village was on the driest piece of ground to be found at the foot of the hill; and it was agreed that the first house put up should be for Mrs Morley and her daughters, with another for Captain and Mrs Twopenny close to it. The best axe-men at once commenced felling trees. They were not long or thick enough, however, to form log-huts after the American fashion. It was settled, therefore, that they should be put in upright, close together, and the interstices filled with clay, while the outside walls, as well as the roofs, were to be thatched with the long grass which grew in abundance at the foot of the hills.
While the men were hewing down the trees, Mrs Rumbelow, with four of the most active women, set to work to cut the grass for thatching. It was no slight task, as it was evident that a large quantity would be required. By the end of the first day, they had, however, formed a stack of considerable size. In the meantime, Willy and Peter, with young Broke and the other boys, collected all the fragments of the boat which had been washed on shore. With some of the planks they proposed forming a floor for Mrs Morley’s cottage. The most perfect were kept for repairing the cutter, and Willy suggested that others might serve for manufacturing casks in which the seals’ flesh could be pickled.
“But where are we to get the salt from, now that the doctor’s still is not at work?” asked Peter.
“We shall find plenty of it among the rocks if we get some sunshine,” said Willy; “and if not, we must dig some salt pans. I heard him say that if we could obtain plenty of salt, there would be no fear of our starving.”
Where people labour with a will, under good management, work proceeds rapidly. Before the evening the timber for the first two cottages was shaped, and trees for several others were cut down; while grass enough had been stacked for thatching them.
The ladies were not idle. Fanny and Emma Morley insisted on carrying the bundles of grass, and even poor Mrs Twopenny tried to exert herself, but certainly did very little real work. When Mrs Morley was seen accompanying her daughters, Mrs Rumbelow came up to her. “Please, marm, I beg your pardon, but that must not be. What is play to us is killing work for you. Let an old woman advise you, and don’t go and knock yourself up. Mr Shafto commands here, and I am sure he will say I am right.” It was not, however, without difficulty that the poor lady could be induced to return to the tent.
The first two cottages were completed. They had fire-places composed of stone and clay at the further ends, the wall being of sufficient thickness to prevent the woodwork outside from burning; while the chimneys were formed of wood coated inside with clay. The roofs were made double; the lowest set of rafters were first covered with grass, and a layer of clay placed over them: above this was a thickly-thatched pointed roof, so that the snow and wet could not rest on it. Harry and Willy, with the assistance of the doctor, put up a porch in the front of Mrs Morley’s house, which gave it a picturesque look. As there was no planking to spare, the doors and window-shutters were formed of rough frames and bars across, with grass thickly interwoven between them. These served to keep out the wind and cold, and, as Willy said, looked excessively rural. The bedplaces, fixed against the walls, were raised some feet from the floor, and formed much after the fashion of the doors. In the centre was a table constructed out of the planking of the launch, with seats on either side. Bound the beds, with a sailor’s forethought, Harry had stretched some broad pieces of canvas, assisting to keep off any draughts which might make their way in blowing weather into the cottage. Captain Twopenny’s abode, though smaller than Mrs Morley’s, was constructed in the same manner. He and Harry, with all the men of the party, had been up by daybreak to complete them. As soon as breakfast was over, they invited the ladies to take possession of their new cottages. Mrs Morley and her daughters expressed themselves delighted with theirs.
“You have indeed, Mr Shafto, laboured hard to secure our comfort,” she said, “and we feel most grateful. I little expected so soon to have such excellent shelter.”