consider what is best to do now."

"Let us leap into the sea," cried Fritz, "and swim to the shore."

"Very well for you," replied Ernest, "who can swim; but we should be all
drowned. Would it not be better to construct a raft and go all
together?"

"That might do," added I, "if we were strong enough for such a work, and
if a raft was not always so dangerous a conveyance. But away, boys,
look about you, and seek for anything that may be useful to us."

We all dispersed to different parts of the vessel. For my own part I
went to the provision-room, to look after the casks of water and other
necessaries of life; my wife visited the live stock and fed them, for
they were almost famished; Fritz sought for arms and ammunition; Ernest
for the carpenter's tools. Jack had opened the captain's cabin, and was
immediately thrown down by two large dogs, who leaped on him so roughly
that he cried out as if they were going to devour him. However, hunger
had rendered them so docile that they licked his hands, and he soon
recovered his feet, seized the largest by the ears, and mounting his
back, gravely rode up to me as I was coming from the hold. I could not
help laughing; I applauded his courage; but recommended him always to be
prudent with animals of that kind, who are often dangerous when hungry.

My little troop began to assemble. Fritz had found two fowling-pieces,
some bags of powder and shot, and some balls, in horn flasks. Ernest was
loaded with an axe and hammer, a pair of pincers, a large pair of
scissors, and an auger showed itself half out of his pocket.