grateful
to Dr. Beauregard for taking this creature Glass off our hands.
I was thinking a moment ago that for a thousand pounds I'd rather he
was anywhere than on board our ship. The least we can do is to bear
a hand with him; and if we don't like the house we can come away."

"And before nightfall, if you insist," added Dr. Beauregard,
genially. "But the afternoon is young, and between now and nightfall
you may all have made your fortunes. Who knows?"

Captain Branscome yielded, after a look at Plinny, who backed up Miss
Belcher, declaring herself ardent for new adventures. I began to see
that the Captain was wax in the hands of these two, and it puzzled
me, who had some experience of him both in school and on shipboard.

Instead, then, of heading for the ship, we rowed past her and up the
creek--Mr. Rogers following in his dinghy--and disembarked at the
landing-place under the green knoll. While Dr. Beauregard and Mr.
Goodfellow lifted out Aaron Glass, and while the Captain explained to
Mr. Rogers where and how we came by such a passenger, I stared about
me, wondering where the Doctor's house might be and where the
approach to it. For I remembered the narrow gorge leading up to the
waterfalls and the thick, precipitous woods on either hand; and how,
such a party as ours, including two ladies and a sick man, could hope
to penetrate those woods or climb those waterfalls was a puzzle.

In ten minutes Mr. Goodfellow had patched up a fairly serviceable
litter with the boat's sail and a couple of paddles. Dr. Beauregard
bestowed the patient in it carefully enough, and when all was ready,
led the way. The two carriers, Mr. Rogers and Mr. Goodfellow, came
next with the litter between them, and at a nod from the former I
fell in beside him. The Captain and the two ladies brought up the
rear.

"Harry," whispered Mr. Rogers, as we wound our way round the knoll,
"is this really the man who--"

"This is Aaron Glass," I said.

He stared down--for he carried the hinder end of the litter--upon the
villainous, unconscious face.

"He looks a pretty bad one," said Mr. Rogers, after a pause.

"You should have seen him on the beach," said I.

"I've seen something myself," said he. "Closer, boy--there was a
woman came down to the shore just now, waving to the ship and crying.
At first I took her for a child. She was dressed all in white--white
muslin and ribbons, you know--the sort of rig you see at a children's
pa