The Adventurous Four Part 11

"You've said that about a thousand times since we've been on this island," said Jill. "Well-see if you can eat that plateful!"

Tom took the plate. It was full of cold tongue, baked potatoes, and tinned asparagus tips which the man had brought yesterday. There were also sliced pears, tinned milk to eat with them, and hot cocoa. The pears and tinned milk were so delicious that Tom wanted a second helping.

"Good gracious! At the rate you eat you'll want about a thousand tins on the raft!" said Mary, opening another tin of pears. "Andy, I hope you won't forget to take a tin-opener when you go. It would be so awful to be hungry, and have heaps of tinned food round you-and not be able to eat any of it because you had forgotten an opener!"

Andy grinned. "I shan't forget that," he said. "Golly, I am tired!"

They were all tired, and they fell asleep in the tent almost as soon as they lay down on their heathery beds. They awoke late the next day and Andy could not make up his mind whether to get on with the raft or not.

"I'm pretty sure that fellow meant he wouldn't come for a few days," Andy said. "But if he did happen to come and found us at work on a raft, it would be too disappointing for anything."

"Well, one of us could go up to the rocky ledge and keep watch all the time, couldn't we," said Jill eagerly. "We could easily see anyone coming, then, and give warning in time to let you and Tom hide everything."

"Yes-of course," said Andy. "That's a good idea! Take it in turns of about two hours each. You go first, Jill, and Mary next."

So Jill went up to the rocky ledge and sat there. She could see the cave-beach of the next island and had a good view of any boat that might come over the water.

No boat was to-be seen-but all that day the islands were very noisy indeed! Seaplanes flew over many times, their engines roaring loudly. Three came down in the calm water opposite the cave-beach. Jill watched them carefully.

Stores were taken to the cave, as she could plainly see. The seaplanes roared away after a time-but all that day others flew over the islands, and the children wondered to see so many.

"Well, there's one thing that's lucky," said Andy with a grin. "Those seaplanes make such a noise that no one could possibly hear the sound of any hammering to-day-so I vote we get on with it and make as much noise as we like now there's a chance!"

So the sound of hammering was heard on the children's island that day, as Andy and Tom nailed twelve big planks crosswise to twelve others below. Then on top of the two crosswise rows Andy nailed yet another row of shorter planks to make the raft really solid and heavy.

The boys added a kind of rim to the raft to prevent things rolling off too easily. Andy was clever at carpentry and he knew all the best tricks of making each plank hold the other fast It was a very solid-looking affair that began to take shape by the time that night came.

Andy had found a strong post that would do for a mast, but he did not mean to put this up till the raft was almost ready to launch. "We can't very well hide a raft with a mast." he said. "It is easier to hide a flat raft with no mast, if that man pays us a visit too soon."

"How can we hide it, though?" asked Tom, looking at the heavy raft. "We really can't toss it lightly into the heather as we could do with planks!"

Andy grinned. "Well hide it in a very easy place," he said. "We'll simply rig up the tent above it, and pile heather on the raft, which will then make the floor I don't think anyone is likely to think that our tent hides a raft!"

In three days the raft was quite complete, and was very sound and solid. Andy had decided to take all the food in the big wooden box in which the man had brought the tins and jars on his last visit.

"We can nail the box to the floor of the raft," said Andy, "and our food will stay there quite safely I If we put it loose on the deck of the raft, everything would get thrown off in a rough sea, even though we've put a kind of rail to the edge of the raft."

There came a warning cry from Jill not long after that. She had seen a boat coming round the cliff on the far side of the cave-beach. Hastily the boys put up the tent over the raft, and Mary strewed the heather and bracken over the deck. She could not hide the box of. food in the middle of the raft, however.

"Never mind about that," said Andy. "Put a rug over it, and it will look like a seat or something."

There were two men this time, and one of them was the one who spoke English.

The boat drew up in the cove where the raft was, and one man got out. It was not the man who had seen the fallen-down shack, but the one who spoke English.

Andy went down to meet him. "Please, sir, won't you give us a boat to go home in?" asked Andy, knowing perfectly well that the man would say no.

"No," said the man at once. "You will stay here for as long as we wish. But soon the winter will come, and a tent will be no good to you. Is mere any building here that can be mended?"

"No," said Andy, who did not wish the man to examine the buildings, and perhaps ask where the tumbledown shack was. This had almost disappeared by now, for the children had taken all the planks for their raft!

"Let me see your tent," said the man. Andy's heart sank. It would be too bad if the raft was found just as it was finished. He took the man to the tent in silence.

The man looked inside. He saw the box in the middle covered with a rug. "What's that?" he asked.

"It's the box of food the man brought us the other day," said Andy, and he pulled off the rug. The man saw at once that it way only a box of food and he nodded. He did not go insidelhe tent, luckily, or his nailed boot might have gone through the heathery covering and struck against the wooden raft below. Then he would certainly have pulled aside the heather and seen the children's secret.

Jill and Mary watched, very pale and scared. Tom sat nearby and whistled. The man still stood looking into the tent, and all the children felt very anxious indeed-and then a great seaplane roared over the island, making a terrific noise.

"Look! Look!" yelled Tom, jumping up. "Isn't it a big one!"

The man looked up, at Tom's yell, and followed the seaplane with his eyes. "I must go," he said, and he went down the beach to the boat. "I will send men to put you up a rough hut for the winter. Be sensible children and you will be looked after-but if not, you will be,very sorry for yourselves."

The children were very thankful indeed when they saw the boat go off over the water. They heaved deep sighs of relief and looked at one another.

"Thank goodness, that seaplane came when it did and Tom let out that yell," said Jill. "It just took the man's attention away! I really thought he was going to go inside the tent and look at everything!"

"Well, I think we're safe to make our escape soon now," said Andy. "I don't expect any men will be sent for a while. We'll drag the raft down to the sh.o.r.e early to-morrow morning, and I'll set up the mast and rig the sail as best I can. Then Tom and I will start off."

The girls said nothing. They did not like being left alone on the island-and yet they knew that Andy was right, Somehow he must get home and tell the people there the secrets they had discovered. The raft would not really take four-and the girls were not strong enough to stand days and nights of tossing about on the sea.

"Well, Andy, it's very important that you should get back and tell the secret of these islands," said Jill at last. "So, for the sake of our country, Mary and I will stay behind here without any fuss and do the best we can, whilst you and Tom set off for home. But do rescue us as soon as possible!"

"Of course we shall," said Andy, glad to see that the girls were going to be brave and not malce any fuss. "You are good sports, you two girls-I really do feel proud of you both-don't you, Tom?"

"Very proud," said Tom. And the girls went red with pleasure.

"We'll wish you luck to-morrow!" said Jill. "Oh, how I hope you'll soon get back home, Andy! Mary and I will watch every day till you come back."

They all went to bed early that night, for to-morrow was to be an important day! They did not sleep very well, for they were too excited.

And in the morning, early, they took down their tent, dragged off the heather that covered the raft, and tied ropes to it, to pull it down to the beach.

"Now we're off on another adventure!" said Andy, dragging the raft. "Heave-ho! Heave-ho! Down to the sea we go!"

CHAPTER 22.

Away on the Sea

THE raft was dragged right down to the sea. In the middle of it Andy fixed the post that was to be the mast. He rigged up the old sail very cleverly. The box of food was firm below the mast-they had enough to last them for some days. They took a big tin of water with them too, but expected to use the juice of the tins of fruit to quench their thirst after they had drunk all the water.

Andy had made two rough paddles to help the boat along and to guide it. The girls handed the boys the two warmest rugs to wrap themselves in at night, though Andy said they wouldn't be any use-they would get wet with the very first wave that splashed over the raft! But to please the girls he took the rugs.

"Andy, you can dry them in the sun in the daytime," said Jill, "and you might be glad of them. Mary and I have got plenty here."

The raft was ready to float off at last. The boys gave the girls a hug and said good-bye.

"Now don't worry," said Andy, jumping on to the raft. "You won't hear for days and days, because we've got to get back home, and then tell our tale and then ships have got to find their way here. So you'll have to wait a long time."

"What shall we say if the enemy want to know where you are?" asked Jill anxiously.

"Just say we have disappeared," said Andy. "And if you like to do another bit of pretending and make a fuss-well, doit!"

"All right," said Jill. "Anyway, you may be quite sure we shan't tell them you've gone off on a raft "

"No-we don't want their seaplanes hunting the sea for us!" said Andy, letting the sail unfurl. "Now-good-bye, Jill! Good-bye, Mary! See you soon!"

"Good-bye, Andy! Good-bye, Tom!" cried the girls, trying to smile cheerfully, though they felt very miserable and lonely to see the boys setting off together. "Good luck!"

Tom pushed out the raft and jumped up on it. He took a paddle and guided it. Andy let the sail billow out. The wind caught it and the little raft leapt along over the waves like a live thing f "I say! It can get along, can't it!" cried Jill, jumping up and down in excitement. "Look how it bobs over the waves!"

The boys waved wildly to the girls. Little waves splashed over the deck of the raft and wetted the boys' legs. If they ran into a stormy sea they would soon be wet through-but at the moment they cared nothing for what might happen! They were very excited and very anxious to guide their little raft on the right course.

The sail flapped and billowed finely. Andy had rigged it most cleverly, and the wind shot the little craft along swiftly.

"It's going nearly as fast as the ship!" said Tom in delight.

"No-it isn't really," said Andy.-shaking his head. "No raft could ever equal a boat for speed-it's so clumsy and heavy. But I must say our raft isn't bad! Look out-there's a fat wave coming!"

The raft sailed into the wave-slap! It drenched Tom, and he laughed and shook himself like a dog. The sun was out and the boy's clothes soon dried.

The boys looked back at the sh.o.r.e of their island, which now seemed far away. They could just make out the two girls, who had now climbed to the top Of the cliff and were standing there, watching the raft out of sight.

"I hope Jill and Mary will be all right," said Tom. "Poor kids-it was awful having to leave them alone."

"Yes," said Andy. "But it was the only thing to be done. We've happened on very big things, Tom-and so we've got to be big enough and brave enough to meet them."

"Well-I'm not afraid," said Tom stoutly. "And as for you, Andy, I really don't believe anything in the world would frighten you!"

"Oh yes, it would," said Andy. "But I'd not show I was frightened! Look, Tom-you can see all the islands now!"

The boys stood on the raft, holding on to the mast and looked back on the cl.u.s.ter of islands. They lay in the sea together, and looked very small now that the boys were so far off. They could no longer see the girls. And soon even the islands too woukl disappear-then the boys would be quite alone on the wide sea.

"Do you really know which way to go, Andy?" said Tom.

"More or less," said Andy. "I can guide the raft by the sun in the day-time, and by the stars at night. It's a good thing for us that the wind is just in the right direction. I hope it lasts. It's easy enough now-but if the wind changes, things will be very difficult!"

Now the boys could no longer see any land at all. They were alone on the wide green sea. Below them Jhe water was very, very deep. The sea was not rough, but a little choppy, and the raft bobbed like a cork over the waves. Every now and again a wave hopped over the side and wetted the deck of the raft. The boys got used to this and didn't even move when a wave reared its head to run across the raft.

Tom dragged his hand in the cool water. He liked the movement of the raft running over the sea. The sun shone steadily down and the boys became very hot. Tom took off his jersey and hung it safely over the top of the mast, out of reach of the waves.

"Golly! I'm cooking!" he said. Luckily the boys had got hats with them, and these shaded the sun from their heads or they might have felt sick. The sun blazed down, and at last the boys let themselves drop into the sea, holding on to the edge of the raft all the time. This cooled them a little, and they scrambled back wet and panting.

"It would be an awful thing if one of us let go the raft," said Tom. "It's going at such a pace that it would soon leave us behind in the sea and we'd never be found again."

"Well, for goodness' sake hang on tightly then, next time we cool ourselves," said Andy. "What about something to eat?"

They opened a tin of salmon and a tin of pears, and had a good meal, though Tom longed for some bread with the salmon. It was odd sitting there eating on the bobbing raft, all by themselves in the midst of a wide heaving sea.

The day seemed endless-but at last the sun slid down the sky and the sea turned from green to purple in the twilight. "It's not so warm now," said Tom, taking his jersey down from the mast.

"Tom, see if you can have a nap for a while," said Andy. "I don't think we ought both to sleep at once. The wind might change, or a storm might blow up-you sleep now and I'll have a nap later."

Tom wrapped himself in a rug and tried to go to sleep. Andy slipped a rope round his waist and tied him to the box in the middle.

"You might roll off the raft in the middle of the night," he said with a grin. "I shouldn't like to look round and find you gone, Tom!"

Tom lay on his back and looked up at the night sky. It was a clear night, with no moon and the stars shone brightly. Andy pointed out the North Star to Tom.

"That tells me we are still going in the right direction," said Andy. "At this rate we should sight the coast we're heading for in about three or four days."

"Oh-as long as that!" said Tom in great disappointment. "I thought we'd only by a day or two, going at this pace."

"This is a raft, not a sailing-smack," said Andy. "Now go to sleep. I'll wake you if I need you for anything."

Tom slept. He dreamt he was on a swing, going up and down, up and down in the air. It was very pleasant. Then he dreamt he was being scolded by lill for something and she suddenly threw a pail of cold water right over him! He woke with a jump and sat up.

"Did that wave wake you?" said Andy with a grin. "I thought it would. It popped its head up, saw you asleep and jumped right on you!"

Tom laughed and lay down again. He thought about Andy-what a good sort he was-always doing what he felt was best and wisest-never grumbling-always willing to do the hardest job. It was a good thing Tom and the girls had had Andy to help them.

Andy awoke Tom near dawn and told him to sit up and keep watch. "The wind's still right," he said. "Watch it, Tom. You can see the North Star, can't you? I'm so sleepy I can't keep awake much longer."

Andy tied himself up safely, lay down and was asleep as his head touched the rug that made a pillow for him. Tom sat and watched the dawn coming. It was a wonderful sight. First the sky turned to silver and the sea turned to silver too. Soon a pink flush came into the eastern sky and then it changed to a blaze of gold. The sea sparkled and glinted with gold too.

Tom wished he could wake Andy up and make him see the magnificent sight. There was nothing but sea and sky, all glowing with colour. Bat Andy was tired and Tom sat and watched it by himself, half afraid of the strange beauty aroundJiim.

After a while Tom felt very hungry. He burrowed in the box of food to see what there was. He felt like a meal of tongue or ham. He picked out a tin of tongue and opened it. It smelt delicious Andy woke up after a while and shared the meat with Tom. They opened some pine-apple and had that too. The juice was very pleasant. They poured water into the tin and make a kind of pine-apple drink to have later on in the day.

Andy sniffed the wind, and looked at the sky. "There's a change coming," he said. "I do hope we shan't be blown out of our way. We were getting on so well!"

The sea was rougher. Waves slopped over the deck almost every minute now. Only by sitting up on the box of food could the boys keep dry from the waist up. Once or twice the raft heeled over, and Tom had to clutch the mast to keep from over-balancing.

"Blow!" said Tom. "What does the sea want to get so rough for? It's a good thing we're both good sailors or we'd be very ill."

Andy looked anxiously at the sky. "I'm afraid the wind is changing," he said. "We shall be blown right out of our way if it does. The sea is getting very rough, Tom. I think we'd both better tie ourselves firmly to the mast. It won't do for either of us to be thrown off the raft-and a big wave could easily dash one of us overboard!"

So they tied themselves to the mast, and then watched the scurrying clouds, wondering if they would suddenly slow down-and fly the other way!