Mr. Warner saw what Jack was looking at and remarked, “Cobra Head looks like a mighty ugly place, eh, lad? We are not going to have the easiest time in the world building a lighthouse out there. Just think of surveying the site for the tower! Why, in a storm a man wouldn’t stand any more chance on the top of that rock than a straw. The currents are so nasty out there that the seals don’t even attempt to land. They come inside the reef and climb on shore to sun themselves.”
“Seals? Do they have ’em here?” queried Jack, forgetting for a moment about the dangers of Cobra Head.
“Yes, they have seals here. Not fur seals, however. They are hair seals and quite useless. You’ll see any number of them later in the day. Just keep your eye out for a shiny black head in the water or listen for them to bark.”
A few moments later the launch grated on the coarse sand of the tiny beach and the voyage from Portland was finally ended. As the engineer and Jack stepped out of the boat a gang of men headed by a burly, good-natured Irishman, whom Jack learned later was Shamas, otherwise known as Big O’Brien, the foreman of the camp, came down toward the beach.
“Mornin’, chief,” he said to Mr. Warner. “T’ camp’ll be ready for ye be t’ end o’ t’ forenoon. In t’ meantime, these fellers are goin’ t’ move the rest o’ t’ dunnage up, which wuz left here last night count o’ darkness. Git busy, byes.”
“Fine work, O’Brien. Now come on back with us and introduce us to our new home,” said the engineer.
“Home, is it?” said O’Brien with a grin. “Sure an’ I’m a-thinkin’ it’s another name we’ll all be callin’ of it be t’ time our wor-r-k is finished here.”
“Tut--tut--don’t be such a pessimist,” said Jack’s companion good-naturedly.
The rap-rap-rap of many hammers and the noise of falling lumber was Jack’s first impression of the Hood Island camp. This was gained even while he was at the foot of the promontory.
When he finally arrived at the top he found the camp a veritable beehive for busyness. But before he could take in the details of the very interesting place, Mr. Warner called his attention to a prolonged whistle blast from the tender. The _Blueflower_ was saying good-by; and of course both of its recent passengers must needs signal back a farewell.