"Well, we shan't sink, that's one thing," I said, for Lionel was looking at me in an alarmed manner. "The water cannot get into the hull, thanks to there not being a 'real' cabin and the hatches only being sham ones." "That's all very well," said Lionel, though giving a little sigh of relief at my reassuring words, "but we can't stop here for ever. I should like to know how we are to get ashore." Shin Shira, who had seen our accident, was shouting and gesticulating at the edge of the Pond, but the wind was blowing in his direction and carried the sound of his voice away from us, so that we couldn't hear a single word of what he was saying. "I suppose eventually we shall drift ashore," I said hopefully. "Yes, but not for hours and hours perhaps," said Lionel dolefully, "because the wind may change, you know, and besides it's getting dusk." "It certainly isn't a very pleasant look-out," I agreed. "I can't see what we are to do, unless--I say! what's that big box floating towards us?" Lionel looked in the direction in which I was pointing. "It's an empty match-box," he said uninterestedly; "that's no good." "I'm not so sure about that," said I. "Try and get hold of it as it drifts this way. I've an idea." "I can't see what good an empty match-box can be to us," grumbled Lionel, doing his best, however, to aid me in capturing the prize as it blew against the side of the overturned yacht, which we at last did with some difficulty. It was a very large box and had evidently been in the water for some time; the paper around it had become unstuck from the sides and hung loose in the water beside it. "We must get the paper at all cost, and pray be careful not to tear it," I cried. "Whatever for?" asked Lionel in amazement. "Do as you're told and don't ask questions," I replied rather crossly, for I was very anxious to try an experiment which I had in my mind. So we hauled the paper aboard and stretched it on the bulwarks to dry. Then we hauled the broken bowsprit aboard and freed it from the broken ropes with our pen-knives--a long and difficult job--and by the time we had finished, the paper which had been around the box had become dry and quite stiff by reason of the gum with which it had been stuck to the sides of the box. "Oh, I see!" cried Lionel, as I clambered on to the box (which was fastened by a rope to the side of the yacht) and began to cut a hole in the middle. "You're going to make a raft." "I'm going to try to," I answered grimly, for I wasn't at all sure that my experiment would be a success. By dint of real hard work, cutting and contriving, however, we did eventually succeed in making a raft of a sort, the stiff paper, fixed to the broken bowsprit, making a capital sail; and somewhat in fear and trembling, we both got aboard and pushed off from the derelict yacht. All went well for some time till we were nearing the shore, and then I noticed something which caused me grave alarm.