ill with folded arms, he seemed to lose
himself in thought.

"Battling with the surf I did not see nor hear," he muttered at last.
"But he could not sail without me!" he added. Fiercely he raised his
head and his eyes flashed. "He dare not so betray me!"

Wildenai, too, had been considering.

"The great white captain knew, then, that you were not on board?" she
asked suddenly.

"No," replied the young man reluctantly, "that did he not. I came
without his knowledge. He would have prevented me," he continued
stubbornly, "and I had promised thee a gift. Never did I break my word,
nor would not then. But I did not dream it possible they could get away
so soon! By our virgin lady in Heaven I swear I know not what to do."
And once more he seemed lost in despair.

But only for a moment. Then he turned hastily to the entrance.

"I must follow them at once," he declared impatiently, "I can overtake
them even yet."

Swift as lightning the girl threw herself between him and the opening in
the cave.

"No, no, senor Englishman," she cried. "It is impossible! Listen, only
listen to me! What have you, then, to steer by save the stars? And you
see that, drowned in moonlight, they do not shine tonight. And, more
than that, you do not even know what course the vessel takes. Remember,
too, that there is neither food nor drink within your boat. You would
surely die ere you could ever find the ship."

Gradually she compelled him to listen to reason until, seating himself
again upon the skins, he challenged her still further.

"But what, then, shall I do?" he demanded. "Can'st also tell me that?"

And with equal readiness the princess replied:

"If you will but let me I can hide you here. The cavern is my own. Here
for many a moon have I worked and waited. No one would dare to enter.
You will be safe. Besides, my father's anger will grow cold in time, and
then I know that, if I ask him, he will help you."

His chin propped upon his hands, the young nobleman moodily considered.

"Well, do then as thou deemest best," he told her finally.

And from that moment there began for the little princess a time so
wonderful that for all the rest of her life she remembered each separate
hour as though it had been some beautiful word in a poem learned by
heart.

With deft fingers she piled her softest doeskins for his bed.

"But what wilt thou do, tell me, if I rob thee of thy nest?" he asked,
watching her with amused eyes as she work