supper. I did not expect to see them
back until about supper-time, knowing that the boat had to tow the casks
off to the ship, which lay about half a mile from the beach. But about
four o'clock I saw the boat pushing off in a deuce of a hurry, and
then pull like mad for the ship. Knowing that there was no danger from
natives at that part of the island, I couldn't make it out, but in a few
minutes the boat dashes up alongside, and looking over the side I saw
that Sarreo was sitting beside the captain, in between him and Mr.
Warby; his eyes were closed, and I thought he was dead at first.

"We had him lifted up on deck and then carried into the cabin in a brace
of shakes, and I saw that he had a bullet wound in his shoulder; the
ball had gone clean through. Then the skipper, who was never much of a
talker, told me that Mr. Warby had shot the man accidentally. Of course
I looked at Warby. His face was very pale, but his eyes met mine without
flinching.

"It didn't take the captain long to dress the wound, and half an hour
later, when I came below again, Sarreo was sitting up on some cushions
in the transoms smoking one of the captain's Manilas, and looking as if
nothing had happened. He smiled when he saw me and put out his hand.

"'I'm all right, Mr. Potter,' he said; 'not going to die this time.'

"I was just about to ask him how the thing happened, when
Robertson--that was our skipper's name--called me into his room. He was
as solemn as a judge. Closing his cabin door, he said, 'Sarreo will get
over it all right, but the business is an ugly one; to cut it short, I
believe that it was no accident, but that Warby tried to murder the poor
fellow.'

"Then he told me what had occurred. Leaving the rest of the boat's crew
to fill the water casks, they set out to shoot pigeons; Sarreo went with
them to pick up and carry the birds. About an hour later they saw a wild
boar rush by them. Robertson fired both barrels at it and wounded it,
but it didn't stop. Warby had one barrel empty. He at once loaded with
ball, and the three men gave chase, Sarreo leading, Warby following him
close. On reaching some high grass at the river bank Sarreo plunged into
it; then, a few seconds later, Robertson heard Warby call out that he
saw the animal lying down, and fired. The captain was a short distance
behind, but he and Warby reached the spot together, and there, sure
enough, lying in the long grass, was the wounded boar, and Sarreo
besi