The Sailors’ Return
And then came the natives.
The first to arrive was Mrs. Dixon. Just as the fire was beginning to burn the shipwrecked sailors saw her coming down the field from the farm above Shark Bay, with a milk-can in one hand and a big bucket in the other. And there was Mr. Dixon coming too, with a pair of oars over his shoulder. Mr. Dixon baled their boat and pushed it out and rowed Mrs. Dixon across to the island, splashing as he rowed. Though the wind had gone down there were still waves on the lake, even between the island and the shore.
“Whatever can they want?” said Nancy.
Peggy and Titty had gone up to the lookout point to look at the lake. They came running back into the camp.
“Captain Flint’s coming,” shouted Peggy. “He’s nearly here, and there’s another rowing boat, and there’s a launch in the distance. I think it’s ours.”
“Mother’s in the other rowing boat, with a native,” said Titty.
“If it’s the launch, our mother’s in it, I bet you anything,” said Nancy.
“There are still quite big waves down the lake,” said Titty, “but mother’s got past them all right.”
Everybody ran down to the landing-place, and got there just as Mr. Dixon stepped out and pulled his boat up. Mrs. Dixon clambered out