hin about three hours of its setting. He
tested his body, but there was no soreness. He was not conscious of
anything but a ravening hunger, and he believed that he knew where he
could satisfy it.

There was no wind and the sea was calm, save for a slight swell. The
schooner, its prow out of the water, was in plain view. It was so
deeply imbedded in the sand that Robert considered it a firm house of
shelter, until it should be broken to pieces by successive storms. But
at present he looked upon it as a storehouse of provisions, and he
hurried down the beach.

His foot struck against something, and he stopped, shuddering. It was
the body of one of the slavers and presently he passed another. The
sea was giving up its dead. He reached the schooner, glad to leave
these ghastly objects behind him, and, with some difficulty, climbed
aboard. The vessel had shipped much water, but she was not as great a
wreck as he had expected, and he instantly descended to the cook's
galley, where he had given his brief service. In the lockers he found
an abundance of food of all kinds, as the ship had been equipped for a
long voyage, and he ate hungrily, though sparingly at first. Then he
went into the captain's cabin, lay down on a couch, and took a long
and luxurious rest.

Robert was happy. He felt that he had won, or rather that Providence
had won for him, a most wonderful victory over adverse fate. His
brilliant imagination at once leaped up and painted all things in
vivid colors. Tayoga, Willet and the others must be terribly alarmed
about him as they had full right to be, but he would soon be back in
New York, telling them of his marvelous risk and adventure.

Then he deliberated about taking a supply of provisions to his den in
the bushes, but when he went on deck the sun was already setting, and
it was becoming so cold again that he decided to remain on the
schooner. Why not? It seemed strange to him that he had not thought of
it at first. The skies were perfectly clear, and he did not think
there was any danger of a storm.

He rummaged about, discovered plenty of blankets and made a bed for
himself in the captain's cabin, finding a grim humor in the fact that
he should take that sinister man's place. But as it was only three or
four hours since he had awakened he was not at all sleepy and he
returned to the deck, where he wrapped his treasure, the huge
greatcoat, about his body and sat and watched. He saw the big red sun
se