been
laid completely broke the force of the gale. "Let him speak, Jack; it's
a comfort to hear that he's alive, after lying there stiff and white and
sulky for a whole hour, just like an Egyptian mummy. Never saw such a
fellow as you are, Ralph; always up to mischief. You've almost knocked
out all my teeth and more than half choked me, and now you go shamming
dead! It's very wicked of you, indeed it is."

While Peterkin ran on in this style, my faculties became quite clear
again, and I began to understand my position. "What do you mean by
saying I half choked you, Peterkin?" said I.

"What do I mean? Is English not your mother tongue, or do you want me to
repeat it in French, by way of making it clearer? Don't you remember--"

"I remember nothing," said I, interrupting him, "after we were thrown
into the sea."

{Slowly recovering: p24.jpg}

"Hush, Peterkin," said Jack, "you're exciting Ralph with your nonsense.
I'll explain it to you. You recollect that after the ship struck, we
three sprang over the bow into the sea; well, I noticed that the oar
struck your head and gave you that cut on the brow, which nearly stunned
you, so that you grasped Peterkin round the neck without knowing
apparently what you were about. In doing so you pushed the
telescope,--which you clung to as if it had been your life,--against
Peterkin's mouth--"

"Pushed it against his mouth!" interrupted Peterkin, "say crammed it down
his throat. Why, there's a distinct mark of the brass rim on the back of
my gullet at this moment!"

"Well, well, be that as it may," continued Jack, "you clung to him,
Ralph, till I feared you really would choke him; but I saw that he had a
good hold of the oar, so I exerted myself to the utmost to push you
towards the shore, which we luckily reached without much trouble, for the
water inside the reef is quite calm."

"But the captain and crew, what of them?" I inquired anxiously.

Jack shook his head.

"Are they lost?"

"No, they are not lost, I hope, but I fear there is not much chance of
their being saved. The ship struck at the very tail of the island on
which we are cast. When the boat was tossed into the sea it fortunately
did not upset, although it shipped a good deal of water, and all the men
managed to scramble into it; but before they could get the oars out the
gale carried them past the point and away to leeward of the island. After
we landed I saw them endeavouring to pull towards us