By this order the crew supposed that Forester was going to land.
"Bear a hand, Mr.Bowman," said Forester, "and fend off from the shore." Forester, by means of his paddle, had steered the boat up to a log which lay in the edge of the water, and Marco, at first fending off from the log, to keep the boat from striking hard, and then holding on to it with his hook, got it into a good position for landing, and held it securely.
"_Crew ashore_," said Forester.
The crew, who had learned all these orders in the course of the repeated instructions which Forester and Marco had given them, began to rise and to walk toward the bow of the boat and to go ashore.

Marco landed first, and held the boat with his boat-hook, while the rest got out.

Forester then ordered Marco to make the boat fast, until they were ready to embark again.
Forester then went up in the woods a little way, with his hatchet in his hand, and began to look about among the trees.

Finally, he selected a small tree, with a round, straight stem, and began to cut it down.

The boys gathered around him, wondering what it could be for.
Forester smiled, and worked on in silence, declining to answer any of their questions.