"But if another gale was to spring up, and there is every chance of that, the flag might be blown to pieces, or the flagstaff itself carried away," observed the boatswain. "If you think fit, therefore, Mr Shafto, I'll remain here with one or two of the men; and, depend on it, we will keep a bright look-out for passing vessels, so that we need only hoist our flag should one come near enough to see it." "We can ill spare you at the camp, Bollard," said Harry; "and if you remain here you will require shelter and food. This hill is a bleak place, and if we could not get to you with a supply of provisions, you would run the risk of starving." "As to shelter, we have our axes, and we might easily put up a hut; and for the matter of food, if we are hard-pressed, we can make our way overland to the settlement; it cannot be much more than five or six miles." As the boatswain was so anxious to remain, Harry at last consented to his proposal. "We must put you up a hut, however, before we return to the settlement," he observed; "and after we have had dinner we will set to work about it." There was a wood at some little distance; and, as soon as the meal was over, all hands repaired there to cut timber for the proposed hut. They worked away very hard, Harry and the midshipmen labouring as well as the rest. As soon as several trees were felled, Harry, leaving Bollard and two of the men to cut more, with the rest of the party carried them up the hill. They had then to dig the foundation of the hut. While this was doing, Willy and Peter collected a supply of grass from the hillside. So busily were they all employed that evening arrived before they thought the day was half spent. Dark clouds had been gathering, and the wind increasing, and they had the prospect of a stormy night. The hut, however, was roofed in, and they were able to take shelter from the torrents of rain which now came down. Fuel having been collected, they lighted a fire in the front of the hut, but the wind blew the flames about so furiously that there was a risk of the walls, and a still greater one of the roof, catching fire. No one, therefore, ventured to go to sleep; indeed, there was not room for all the party to stretch their legs.