f
blood he had lost had so aged and pulled him down that he was
transformed, from the smart energetic sailor he had been, into a feeble
old man, utterly incapable of ever resuming his former position should
events ever place it in his power to take command of a ship again--at
least so it seemed from his general state of prostration.

Under these circumstances, therefore, Mr Meldrum was unquestionably
still looked upon as the head of the party, quite apart from any
appointment as such, from the simple reason that everybody recognised
that it would be only through his advice and forethought that they could
ever hope to escape from the island and see home once more.

Although he had as yet never spoken directly to the point on the
subject, all could gather, from stray hints and observations which
occasionally dropped from his lips, that this thought was ever before
him; and that, when he considered that the proper time for action had
arrived, he would lay his plans before them.

They were not mistaken.

One evening, about the third week in October and the third month of
their residence on Desolation Island, when all were assembled in the
general room after the principal meal of the day--gathered together for
a social chat over the little petty details of their life since the
morning and cogitating as to what was best to be done on the morrow, as
was their invariable custom each night before separating at bedtime--Mr
Meldrum unbosomed himself, just when they least expected it.

Mr Lathrope was having a spirited contest with the first-mate over the
chequer-board that he had assisted in making; Kate was reading out of a
little pocket Bible to the poor captain as he lay back in his cot; while
the others, grouped around, were talking and otherwise amusing
themselves--some of the men knitting a net, which it was intended to use
as a seine for catching fish some day when finished, and the steward
assisting Snowball in cutting up some cabbage which they were going to
pickle and lay by for emergencies--when Mr Meldrum, after a preliminary
"hem," to attract their attention, addressed the little gathering.

"Friends," said he, "it was my intention to speak to you some little
time back about our future prospects here, but I waited for the weather
to become more settled. Now that the spring has fairly set in, however,
it is better not to delay our preparations any longer, for time is
precious and we shall have to accomplish a gr