human
I am afraid she will not come at all,
gpt
I feared as much from the first,
human
Then what do you propose doing? asked Desmond.
gpt
I don't wish to have to live on here month after month, or for what we can tell year after year, while our fellows are fighting the Chinese, and all the rest of the world, perhaps.
human
No, nor do I, said Tom.
gpt
We must fit our boat as well as we can for sea, and try and make our way, either back to Japan, or to the Ladrones, to which we were bound; but, as I said before, it won't do to put to sea until the hurricane season is over. Even in fine weather it will be a pretty long trip in an open boat; but people have gone as far, or much farther, and what others have done we can do.
human
I am ready for anything you think best, answered Desmond,
gpt
It will be a difficult job to do that without tools,
human
Faith, I forgot that, remarked Desmond.
gpt
Still, as you often say, `Where there's a will there's a way.' As we shall want our sail, we must try and manufacture some thick matting instead of canvas, to fix over the bows to raise the gunwale a foot or two, to keep out the sea. Then for provisions, we shall have to salt down as many hogs as we can kill, dry a stock of yams, and carry our water in cocoa-nut shells.
human
I am glad, Gerald, that you have thought about the matter; that's just what I was going to propose,
gpt
Of course, cried Gerald.
human
I have been thinking of that and a number of other things besides while I was digging in the sand, though I did not like to talk about them until the time came for action.