It was a very large box and had evidently been in the water for some time; the paper around it had become unstuck from the sides and hung loose in the water beside it.

“We must get the paper at all cost, and pray be careful not to tear it,” I cried.

“Whatever for?” asked Lionel in amazement.

“Do as you’re told and don’t ask questions,” I replied rather crossly, for I was very anxious to try an experiment which I had in my mind.  So we hauled the paper aboard and stretched it on the bulwarks to dry.

Then we hauled the broken bowsprit aboard and freed it from the broken ropes with our pen-knives—­a long and difficult job—­and by the time we had finished, the paper which had been around the box had become dry and quite stiff by reason of the gum with which it had been stuck to the sides of the box.

“Oh, I see!” cried Lionel, as I clambered on to the box (which was fastened by a rope to the side of the yacht) and began to cut a hole in the middle.  “You’re going to make a raft.”

“I’m going to try to,” I answered grimly, for I wasn’t at all sure that my experiment would be a success.

By dint of real hard work, cutting and contriving, however, we did eventually succeed in making a raft of a sort, the stiff paper, fixed to the broken bowsprit, making a capital sail; and somewhat in fear and trembling, we both got aboard and pushed off from the derelict yacht.

All went well for some time till we were nearing the shore, and then I noticed something which caused me grave alarm.

We were both growing rapidly!  The raft, which had before been quite large enough to support us, was now low down in the water with our weight, and there was great danger of the water getting into the inside of the box, in which case it would undoubtedly sink.

Lionel noticed the difficulty at the same time as myself, for he gave me a startled glance.

“We’re getting bigger,” he said.  “Do you think the raft will hold out?”

“I don’t think so,” I replied, “but we’re quite near the water’s edge now—­perhaps I could swim ashore with you.”

“Good gracious!  I can swim twice that distance myself, thank you.  Why, I beat Mullings Major hollow in the swimming competition last term, and he’s four years older than me, and—­”

Whatever Lionel was going to add was lost, for at that instant he had to put his boasted prowess to the test.  The box, having filled with water just as I had feared it would do, sank slowly down, and we were left in the water.

Fortunately Lionel’s boast was not a vain one, and he reached the shore before I did, laughing and wringing the water out of his clothes.

“Well, it’s good to be on dry land once more at any rate,” he said, as I waded ashore, “isn’t it?”

“Yes,” I agreed, looking about to see if I could discover any traces of Shin Shira in the dusk.

“There he is!” at last cried Lionel, “but his head has vanished, and there are only his legs and arms waving about. They won’t be much use to us, and—­by Jove! yes!  Look, here comes that wretched old duck after us.  We’ll have to cut,” and he gathered up his things and set the example.