They decided to make a small log cabin, and, with this end in view, Bob, the two sailors, and Mr. Carr set off into the woods to hew down trees for this purpose.

Captain Spark and Mr. Tarbill remained behind to get the camp in better shape after the storm.  The commander also wished to take a sun observation that noon and work out the position of the island,

As Bob and his three companions were going through the wood, they were surprised to see several birds of brilliant plumage.  Some of them sang sweetly.

“That’s a good sign!” exclaimed Mr. Carr.

“Why?” asked Bob.

“Because if there are birds on this small island, it shows that there must be a larger island not far away.  Birds of this kind live in large forests, and as there are none here, on account of the size of this island, that shows they must come from some other one, or from the mainland.”

“I hope you’re right,” said Bob.  “We might be able to get to some other island in the gig, and then we would stand a better chance of being rescued.”

When the little party got back to camp, carrying a number of poles for the beginning of the hut, they found Captain Spark preparing to take an observation, as it was nearly noon.  He asked Mr. Carr to assist him.

In a few minutes, after taking the altitude of the sun through the sextant and working out a calculation from his table of figures, the captain was able to announce the result, giving the latitude and longitude of the island.

“Why,” exclaimed Bob, “that is about the location of the island shown on the parchment map that Captain Obed gave me.”

“So it is!” cried the captain.  “Where is the map, Bob?”

“Lost overboard with the rest of my things, I suppose, when the boat capsized,” was the rueful answer.

“That’s so.  Now we’ll never know whether there was any treasure or not.  However, there’s no use worrying about that.  The best news is that we are not far off from a very large island, at which ships frequently touch for water and provisions.”

“Good!” cried Mr. Carr.  “About how far off, captain?”

“Not more than two hundred miles.”

“But how can we go two hundred miles?” asked Mr. Tarbill.

“In the small boat—­my gig—­to be sure.  We have sufficient provisions for twice that journey, and the boat is large enough,”

“I’ll never venture to sea in a small boat!” declared the nervous passenger.

The others paid little attention to him, being too much interested in what the captain had to say about the other island.  He had never been there, but he had heard of it.  It was inhabited by a tribe of friendly natives.

“Shall we start soon?” asked Mr. Carr.

“I think we’ll wait a week or two and see what turns up here.  We are very comfortable, and I don’t want to undertake the voyage in the small boat if there is any chance of a ship taking us off from here.”