'Here we are,' said Marjorie, springing out first; 'now you must see what we've made of the place, Allan. Haul up the boat, Hamish; and Reggie, you might hand out some of these things. Take care you don't drop any of them. Every one take something, and let's come.' Laddie waited impatiently while the articles were distributed among the party, and then followed his young friends with an anticipatory bark. Carlo was lifted out by Hamish, and immediately set off to chase a gull which sailed majestically out to sea, and left him barking on the shore. 'Now, Allan,' said Reggie, his dark eyes twinkling; 'you are going to see what we've been about.' The island consisted of a beach, rocky on the one side, sandy on the other, enclosing a stretch of grass and heather. A tiny hill rose by a deserted shepherd's hut, and a miniature burn trickled down to the sea. The place had once been used as a grazing ground for a few sheep, but of late years had been entirely uninhabited. 'Now look, Allan,' said Reggie, as they stood by the bit of dyke which protected the windy side of the cottage. 'Wh-e-ew,' said Allan; 'you have made a jolly place of it!' 'Rebuilt the cottage, which had been falling to ruins,' said Reggie. 'That was mostly Neil's doing, and Hamish and I helped. Filled up the holes in the thatch with fresh heather. We all worked at that part of it. Then you see we've made a bit of a garden and thrown up the turf for a dyke on the side where the stone one was broken down. The shells on the path were brought up from the beach of this very island. Isn't it jolly?' 'Awfully fine,' said Allan. 'Have you given the place a name yet?' 'Why,' said Marjorie, 'it's our Pirates' Den, and we mean to have all kinds of fun in it all through the summer. The boat is called the _Pirates' Craft_ now, and we are going to have no end of fine doings, particularly if Neil has time to join us.' Allan shoved his cap to the back of his head, and looked about him again with brightening eyes. 'Awfully jolly,' was all that he could say. 'Neil, you _are_ a fellow for hitting upon good ideas.' 'Now come along and see the inside,' said Reggie, leading the way. 'This fine strong door was made by Neil,' said Marjorie; 'a fine time we had getting it over in the boat. We haven't got glass for the windows yet, and I don't suppose we ever shall; but it doesn't matter. What do you think of our kitchen?' Hamish pushed open the door, and they all crowded in to see how Allan would look. 'Well,' said Allan, 'you _have_ done a lot to the place!' The clay floor had been swept dean and had been repaired in places; the hearth had been cleared out, and a kettle hung from a hook in the wide chimney. Some gaily-coloured pictures had been nailed up over the damp stains on the walls, and there were some rough chairs and a somewhat rickety table. Altogether it was a fairly comfortable little cottage. 'You must have worked very hard at this,' said Allan.