"I can see his jolly old face behind the rowers, as large as life!" Two or three minutes more, and the boat's keel grated on the beach, when Fritz and Eric sprang into the water to greet their old friend.
"Waall, boys!" cried the skipper, "I guess I'm raal downright glad to see you both ag'in, thet I am--all thet, I reckon.

It's a sight for sore eyes to see you lookin' so slick and hearty." So saying, Captain Brown shook hands with the two in his old, thoroughgoing arm-wrenching fashion, their hands when released seeming to be almost reduced to pulp in the process, through the pressure of his brawny fist.
Of course, they then had a long talk together, the brothers recounting all that had happened to them in the past year, Captain Fuller of the schooner _Jane_ having taken to the Cape an account of their doings during the preceding twelve months.
"Waal," exclaimed the skipper, when he was showed their little cargo of sealskins and oil, and told also of the treasure which they had found, "I guess you h'ain't made half so bad a job o' crusoeing, arter all! I reckon them skins an' He, along o' what you shipped afore, will fetch you more'n a couple o' thousan' dollars; an' what with them doubloons you mention, I guess you'll hev' made a pretty considerable pile fur the time you've been sealin'!" There being no object to be gained by the vessel remaining any length of time at the island--which indeed was the reason that the skipper had not brought the _Pilot's Bride_ to anchor, preferring to ply on and on in front of the bay, so as to be ready for an instant start--the little property of the brothers was, without further delay, taken on board; and then, crusoes now no longer, they bade adieu, a long adieu, to Inaccessible Island, their abiding place for the past two years.
As the _Pilot's Bride_ filled her sails and cleared the headlands, which, stretching their giant arms across the entrance to the little bay, soon shut out all view of the valley from their gaze, the last thing they noticed was their hut, the home of so many long and weary months, blazing away in regular bonfire fashion.

Master Eric had put a match to the thatch of the little edifice on crossing its threshold for the last time! "There's no fear, however, of this bonfire doing as much mischief as the last, old fellow!" he said apologetically to Fritz as they gazed back over the ship's stern at the rapidly receding island.
"No," replied the other.

"It won't do any particular harm, it is true; but still, I think it was a pity to burn down our little home.

We have passed many pleasant as well as sad hours there, you know, during the last two years." "That may be all very true, brother," replied Eric, "but do you know what was my real reason for setting fire to it ?" "No," said Fritz.
"Well then I'll tell you," continued the other.