Thus far, for nearly a week, he had fed on biscuit only; but now, as he ate his repast, he began to think that it was a very monotonous fare, and to wonder whether it might not be possible to find something which could give a zest to his repasts.  The biscuit were holding out well, but still he felt a desire to husband his resources, and if any additional food could in any way be procured, it would not only be a relish, but would also lessen his demand upon his one sole source of supply.  He thought earnestly upon the subject of fish.  He turned his thoughts very seriously to the subject of fish-hooks, and tried to think of some way by which he could capture some of the fish with which these waters abounded.  But this idea did not seem to promise much.  In the first place, he could think of no possible way in which he could procure any serviceable hook; in the second place, even if he had a hook and line all ready and baited, he did not see how he would be able to cast it within reach of any fish.  His boat would not float him even for the little distance that was required to get into the places where fish might be.  He could only stand upon the beach out of their reach.

But, in the course of his thoughts, he soon perceived that other sources of food were possible to him besides the fish that were caught by hook and line.  His mind reverted to the populous realm of shell-fish.  These were all before him.  Round the rocks and amid the sea-weed there certainly must be mussels.  At low tide, amid the ledges and the sand, there surely must be some lobsters.  Before him there was an extensive mud flat, where there ought to be clams.  Here was his fire, always ready, by night and by day.  Why should he not be able to make use of that fire, not only for cheering his mind, and giving him warmth, and signaling to passers-by, but also for cooking his meals?

This was the question that he asked himself as he ate his biscuit.  He could not see why he should not be able to accomplish this.  As far as he could see, there ought to be plenty of shell-fish of various kinds on these shores.  The more he thought of it, the more probable it seemed.  He determined to solve the difficulty as soon as possible.  On former occasions he had arranged his work on the evening for the succeeding day.  On this evening he marked out this work for the morrow, and arranged in his mind a comprehensive and most diligent search for shell-fish, which should embrace the whole circuit of the island.

With this in his mind, he arranged the fire as usual, so as to keep it alive, and then retired to his camp for the night.  The presence of a roof over his head was grateful in the extreme.  He let down the canvas folds over the entrance, and felt a peculiar sense of security and comfort.  The moss and ferns which he had heaped up were luxuriously soft and deliciously fragrant.  Over these he stretched his wearied limbs with a sigh of relief, and soon was asleep.