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"Why, we'll all be drowned!" Branch declared

"You can return to Cubitas if you wish"

"Yes, and fight soot a hunch that I'll be killed by the very next gun I see"

"Then you'd better risk the sharks"

Jacket, as conducting an independent exao 'round the world in this boat," said he "She's rotten, and you can stick your finger through her, but fish have no fingers When the water coo with us?" Johnnie eyed the newspaper o, but it's a shame to lose all of Rosa's diauides rode away to the farmhouse discovered on the previous afternoon, and returned in a few hours with all the tools they could find, together with a bucket of tar and a coil of galvanized wire Then work began

The wire, cut into short pieces, served as nails and staples hich to draw together the gaping sea supplied calking, upon which the tar was smeared While one man shaped mast and oars, another cut Esteban's shelter tent into a sail, and fitted it A stiff, sun- dried cowhide et, then stretched and nailed to the gunwales at the bow, for a sort of forward deck to shelter the sick man from the sun and rain Jacket climbed the near-by cocoa-palms and thren a plentiful supply of nuts for food and water on the voyage

With sothe crazy craft was launched It was necessary to handle her gingerly, and when she took the water she leaked abo it was possible to bail her out

O'Reilly had to acknowledge himself but poorly pleased with the boat Branch called her a coffin and declared it was suicide to venture to sea in her, an opinion shared by the Cubans, but the girls were enchanted To theile bark looked stout and worthy; they were in a fever to be gone

On the second afternoon the trade-wind died to a gentle zephyr, so the cocoanuts and other food were quickly put aboard, a bed of boas rigged beneath the rawhide forecastle and Esteban was laid upon it Then adieux were said and a start was made