The Jungle Way

This story is set in late 1800, when a few ships were sent to South America mainly to trade. It is not based on any particular ship, or anywhere in particular in South America. I hope you like it!

Chapter 1

The jungle had existed undisturbed for so long. Undisturbed, until now. With a crash of waves, three bodies were swept onto the shore of a beach, the jungle just metres away. The boy looked up. Henry was 15, and the oldest child of his family. He gazed up at the sky, blinking as though he had been born again. Next, the older girl coughed and spluttered as she got the water out of her. Florence was 12, and believed herself to be the most resourceful and clever. Henry saw her get up and wobble around, before she sat down again, sand flying out from under her. Finally, the small curly-haired girl sat up with a jump, breathing heavily. Emily was 8, and the baby of the group. She was rather shy and quiet, but could cook a feast in an hour. Emily looked at the beach and the sand she was sitting on, and started to cry.
"We are in a fix," Henry remarked, as Florence crawled over to Emily and put an arm over her shoulder. "That boat... I didn't dream it, did I? It really sank... And where is everyone else?"
"Hush, Ems," Florence soothed, "Yes, Henry. It certainly sank, and here's the proof." Florence leant over and picked up a large wooden plank with half of the ship's name painted on one side.
It was like a gunshot.
Henry sat staring at the wood, unable to comprehend what had happened. The boat had been designed to hold many more passengers, and cargo, but had still sunk. They appeared to be the only survivors, too. No-one else had noticed that the boat was creaking with built-up exhaustion. No-one else had seen the rocks beneath the waves. But no-one would believe the tales of three children, would they? The crew had laughed, and told them to continue playing their fairy tale games. And now they were... gone. 
Henry stood up as best he could. He still felt sick with salty water, and as tired as though he had run a mile. He stood over his siblings, hands on his hips.
"Well, we're stuck here," he said firmly. "Mother and Father won't find out for ages. The boat will only be noticed as missing when it doesn't dock in a few days. And it'll take weeks for the message to get home, anyway."
"Well, what do you propose we do?" Florence said impatiently. 
"We're just going to have to make the most of it," Henry explained, "It we collect the flotsam that washes up, we could try to build a house. Fruit and meat for meals, I can hunt just as well here as at home. Emily can cook well enough, you can keep the house, Flo. I'll protect us from savages." 
Emily brightened up at the suggestion of cooking, and got up. She wandered over to Henry, and took his hand. 
"Come on, Flo!" she shouted happily over her shoulder, "We're going to live in a secret house and eat what we want!"
"It'll take a while to get settled in," Henry said with a small smile, "But it'll be worth it. I promise."