Two boats were lowered, and the men got into them with a strange collection of bundles and things. Among the articles Dave took were his binoculars. The boats grounded on a silvery beach of sand which nestled in a little bay that looked more fairylike than anything Dave had seen in his travels through the South Seas. There were no tall trees near, but foliage of wonderful colors covered most of the ground. As the men stepped ashore, a flock of birds with gorgeous plumage flew up from the bushes, uttering strident calls of indignation at the intrusion. “It’s quite clear there’s nobody at home on this island,” Tempest said. “I don’t expect those birds have ever seen a human being before. Well, Dave, we’re all going to play a little game of _Robinson Crusoe_, so cheer up. How would you like to spend the next ten years here?” It was characteristic of Bruce Tempest that he was not in the least perturbed by being marooned. Already he seemed perfectly at home, although he had not been on the island five minutes. “Ten years!” Dave said, looking at his friend to see whether he was serious. A picture of the small house near the water in far-away Brooklyn flashed into his brain at that second. “How long do you think we might be stuck here?” “Goodness knows,” replied Tempest; “but do let me persuade you not to worry. That won’t get us off a minute sooner. The worst of it is that we are just about as far off the track of vessels as we could well be, and the wireless station on this benighted place doesn’t seem to be in working order.” “Then you really think we are likely to be here for a long time?” Tempest glanced at the boy and saw no fear in his grey eyes, but very natural concern. “Some of us, yes,” he said. “I heard the mate saying something about taking a chance in the long-boat, and I guess that is what will happen. But, as you know, the long-boat won’t hold us all. It’s too early to think about that yet, though. You’ll find we shall have a pretty busy time at present getting all that’s wanted off the poor old _Manihiki_.”