"How is your stock of provisions?" asked old Jerry. "We are getting just a bit tired of living on birds and fish. And we want a gun or a pistol with which to protect ourselves." "The _Golden Wave_ has enough provisions to last this party a year," answered the captain. "We haven't anything very fine, but we have plenty of flour, dried beans, salt and smoked meats, and a good many cases of canned vegetables, as well as sugar, tea, coffee, salt, and pepper. With fresh fish and some game we'll be able to live as well here as if we were on shore,--that is, if we can find fresh water." "We have all the fresh water we want,--on the large island," said Tom. "And lots of tropical fruit--cocoanuts, bananas, and the like." "If we are going to live on the ship, we'll have to bring fresh water over from the other island in a cask," said Dick. "That will not be very handy." "Can't we move the wreck over?" came from Tom. "No, lad," answered Captain Blossom. "She is here to stay until her timbers rot. But if we wish, we can move some of the provisions ashore. There are the parts of a rowboat below, and I reckon I am carpenter enough to put the parts together in a day or two." "We have a boat on the north beach," said old Jerry; "we can bring it around." "To do that, we'll have to swim the channel again," came from Dick. "And I must say I don't like that." "Let us make a raft," cried Tom. "There must be plenty of material on board of the schooner for that." "There certainly is," answered Captain Blossom. "Come, we can make a raft in less than an hour." All set to work, and in a short space of time they had the material together. Ropes and spikes were there a-plenty, and as Captain Blossom laid out one stick and another, the boys and old Jerry either nailed or tied them together. A board flooring was placed on top of the spars and then the whole affair was dumped into the bay with a loud splash. It floated very well, with the flooring a good ten inches above the surface of the water, and as the raft was nearly twenty feet long by ten wide, it was capable of carrying considerable weight. "That's better than a boat," said Dick. "We can pile a good deal more stuff on it." "Let us get on and paddle to where we left the others," said Tom. "They will be anxious to learn the news." Captain Blossom was willing, and they took with them a variety of provisions and also some extra clothing and some firearms. Then the raft was moved to where the boys had left part of their own clothing when they had started to swim the channel. The coming of the big raft and its passengers to the shore where the cabin was located was greeted with shouts of joy from Sam and the three girls. "Hurrah for the captain of the _Golden Wave_!" cried Sam, swinging his cap in the air. "We are very glad to see you safe and sound."