Year: 1875

only try to obtain relief In the day time
we must leave pole with a signal on"


His companion acquiesed in his propo
sition, and soon they had removed a large
quantity of decayed and dry wood to the
summit Of the hill, and fixed it ready tc
light that night.


They then procured long. fallen tree,
and after trimming it of, placed their coats,
tied together, on the top, AZ q signal. They
secured its bsse by placing large boulders
around 1t to support it, and felt assured
that the signal could not fail to to show for
quite long distance, and their import be
understood by any passing vessels. Then
they dispersed, each one looking for game
. fish for their meals.


As we have seen the island upon which
the crew Of the Shooting Star had aband-
Oned Birney, the police spy, was the same
upon which our three adventures had been
SO slngularly cast upon. The police spy
had found secret cave on the remote end
of the island and had discovered the other
occupants of the island. He had watched
his opportunity, and had pilfered from them
as we have seen. He had now gone and
left his victims to suffer by his thefts


few shell fish and a small bird provid-
ed an ample meal, and then the men
searched again for the gold but found
none.


So, drearily a week or more passed by
and in a monotonous round Of labors the
trio Of adventurers spent their time.
There was no human life upon the island
save their own, and the few animals and
birds afforded but little sport. They found
no ambition to exercise, no point to direct
their energies to. A dreary, moody
set Of men were they whose existence was
confined within the narrow limits of this
desert island in the Pacific Ocean.


Food they must have; for this they Ia
bored only. One morning a shout from
Werner, who was looking over the sea from
the summit Of the hill, aroused his COM
panlOns from their apathetic Indifference.


What Is 1t T. they queried eagerly.


"a ship"


They rushed to his side, in a fever of
expectant anxiety.


Where about :"


East by southeast"


They strained their gaze wildly.


In vain


If Werner saw a vessel their sight was
not sufficient to discern it.


1t was only an ncident-an incident
probably founded upon a chimerical and
delusive vision Of Werner But il served
to direct their energies in a new channel,
for as they sat moodily speculatlng over
their chances Of delivery from their pres
ent solitude, Percy startled them with the
query


1--WE have an axe ?"


Eyes, responded Werner.


''And a saw r


mo"


''We have several hunting knives r.


"Yes"


''And yonder is a miniature forest. Do
you not discern my idea :


Raymond looked up hesitatingly.


"You mean P'-he said.


"That a means Of escape is in our
hands"


''ln what way ?"


'In the simplest way imaginable"


Explain yourself"


'Let us build boat Do you not know
that men have gone thousands Of miles
over the sea in a shallow canoe. Let us
build boat, rude though it be, and en-
deavOr to reach some civilized country
Yonder are trees large enough to suit our
purpose, and we have an axe and knives
Let us win our way back to freedom and
civilization.


The men were startled out of their usual
apathetic Indifference by the energetic
earnestness of their companion.


An hour later the island rang with the
busy strokes of the axe, and in few
days shapely hull was dragged down to
the waters edge.


1t was a common soft light wood tree,
hewn out and made as even and as ship
shape as was possible with the rude tools
they had. Two weeks later they had com
pleted it.


Out Of a species Of reeds they had woven
sail, and this vas rigged to a pole which
served as a mast 1t sailed on the water
lightly, and one beautiful morning they
had the satisfaction Of seeing the island
fade in the distance


And once more they were on the wide
sea In an open boat in an endeavor to reach
Australia or some other civilized land.


(To hp rouf.n,,oJ mort ,ceal \