Then he went over to the drift-wood, and spent a long time searching after some bits of wood.  He at length found a half dozen pieces of board, about a foot long, and from six to eight inches in width.  He also found some bits of scantling, and palings, which were only a foot or so in length.  All these he brought back, and laid them down on the beach near the boat.

He now proceeded to place these bits of wood in the bows, in such a way as to keep the canvas in a firm position.  His idea was, that the canvas, by being pressed against the opening, might keep out the water, and the wood, by being properly arranged, might keep the canvas secure in its place.  The arrangement of the wood required the greatest care.  First of all, he took the smallest bits, and stood these up against the canvas, so that they might correspond as nearly as possible with the curve of the bows.  A few more pieces were placed in the hollow part of this curve, and outside these the larger pieces were placed.  Between the outside pieces and the inner ones he thrust some of the smallest pieces which he could find.  After thus arranging all his boards, he found that there lay between the outside board and the first seat of the boat a space of about one foot.  Selecting a piece of wood of about that length, he put one end against the board, and the other against the seat, and pressed it into a position where it served to keep the board tight in its place.  Then he took other pieces of about the same length, and arranged them in the same way, so that, by being fixed between the board and the seat, they might keep the whole mass of boards and canvas pressed tight against the opening in the bows.  After placing as many blocks in position as he conveniently could, his next work was to secure them all.  In order to effect this, another journey to the drift-wood was necessary, and another search.  This time he selected carefully a number of sticks, not more than half an inch in thickness, some of them being much thinner.  He found pieces of paling, and laths, and shingles which suited his ideas.  Returning with these to the boat, he proceeded to thrust them, one by one, into the interstices of the boards, using a stone to drive them into their places.

At last the work was finished as far as he could accomplish it, and there remained nothing more to be done.  As far as he could see, by shaking, and pulling, and pushing at the collection of sticks and canvas, it was very firm and secure.  Every stick seemed to be tight, and the pressure which they maintained against the aperture was so strong that the wood-work now was forced out a little distance beyond the outline of the boat.  He examined most carefully all about the bows on the outside, but saw no place which did not seem to be fully protected.  It seemed to him now as though that piled-up canvas ought to resist the entrance of the water, or, if not, at least that it ought not to allow it to enter so rapidly but that he could easily keep the boat baled out.