Mr. Seagrave then entered into a detail of all that had passed. Mrs.
Seagrave heard him without reply; and when he had finished, she threw
herself in his arms and wept bitterly. Mr. Seagrave remained with his
wife, using all his efforts to console her, until Juno reappeared with
the children, for it was now getting late; then he returned on deck.

"Well, sir," said Ready, when Mr. Seagrave went up to him, "I have been
looking well about me, and I think that we have great reason to be
thankful. The ship is fast enough, and will not move until some violent
gales come on and break her up; but of that there is no fear at
present: the little wind that there is, is going down, and we shall
have a calm before morning."

"I grant that there is no immediate danger, Ready; but how are we to
get on shore? - and, when on shore, how are we to exist?"

"I have thought of that too, sir, and I must have your assistance, and
even that of Master William, to get the little boat on board to repair
her: her bottom is stove in, it is true, but I am carpenter enough for
that, and with some well-tarred canvas I can make her sufficiently
water-tight to land us all in safety. We must set to at daylight."

"And when we get on shore?"

"Why, Mr. Seagrave, where there are cocoa-nut trees in such plenty as
there are on that island, there is no fear of starvation, even if we
had not the ship's provisions. I expect a little difficulty with regard
to water, for the island is low and small; but we cannot expect to find
everything exactly as we wish."