Pencroft’sfirstcare,afterunloadingtheraft,wastorenderthecavehabitablebystoppingupalltheholeswhichmadeitdraughty.Sand,stones,twistedbranches,wetclay,closedupthegalleriesopentothesouthwinds.Onenarrowandwindingopeningatthesidewaskept,toleadoutthesmokeandtomakethefiredraw.Thecavewasthusdividedintothreeorfourrooms,ifsuchdarkdenswithwhichadonkeywouldscarcelyhavebeencontenteddeservedthename.Buttheyweredry,andtherewasspacetostandupright,atleastintheprincipalroom,whichoccupiedthecenter.Thefloorwascoveredwithfinesand,andtakingallinalltheywerewellpleasedwithitforwantofabetter.

           "Perhaps,"saidHerbert,whileheandPencroftwereworking,"ourcompanionshavefoundasuperiorplacetoours."

           "Verylikely,"repliedtheseaman;"but,aswedon’tknow,wemustworkallthesame.Bettertohavetwostringstoone’sbowthannostringatall!"

           "Oh!"exclaimedHerbert,"howjollyitwillbeiftheyweretofindCaptainHardingandweretobringhimbackwiththem!"

           "Yes,indeed!"saidPencroft,"thatwasamanoftherightsort."

           "Was!"exclaimedHerbert,"doyoudespairofeverseeinghimagain?"

           "Godforbid!"repliedthesailor.Theirworkwassoondone,andPencroftdeclaredhimselfverywellsatisfied.

           "Now,"saidhe,"ourfriendscancomebackwhentheylike.Theywillfindagoodenoughshelter."