Now, the squaring and shaping of these, and the cutting of the grooves in the keel, was an easy enough matter, as it was all work for the axe, in the use of which Jack was become wonderfully expert; but it was quite a different affair when he came to nailing the ribs to the keel, for we had no instrument capable of boring a large hole, and no nails to fasten them with.

We were, indeed, much perplexed here; but Jack at length devised an instrument that served very well.

He took the remainder of our hoop-iron and beat it into the form of a pipe or cylinder, about as thick as a man's finger.

This he did by means of our axe and the old rusty axe we had found at the house of the poor man at the other side of the island.

This, when made red hot, bored slowly though the timbers; and, the better to retain the heat, Jack shut up one end of it and filled it with sand.