by starvation. The
Chileans, and he himself during the past fourteen hours, had subsisted
on a bag of dried berries stolen by the girl when she first led the
sailors thither.

"Didn't you see how eager we all were to search the lockers?" he asked.
"But the rascals had cleared every scrap when the boat fell into their
hands again with the falling tide."

She nestled close to him.

"I saw nothing," she whispered. "My mind held but one thought--that
you were alive, though, indeed, I was mourning you as dead. But now I
am restored to my senses. I think I can grasp what happened. Did Joey
find you?"

"Yes. You can guess my bewilderment when he sprang on top of me. I
was lying down; I heard our sentries shouting, but paid no heed. As a
matter of fact, Elsie, I, too, had abandoned hope. I could see no
chance of escape. Great Heaven! To think of your coming to my rescue!
What made you do it?"

"Please go on. Tell me all. You shall hear my story afterwards."

"Well, I jumped up, and Joey nearly fell into the crater with delight.
I was just in time to save Suarez from being shot. Luckily he was a
long way behind the dog, and I recognized his make-up. The guard, who
belonged to the original lot, naturally thought he was an Indian. And
you ought to have seen that blessed girl skipping around when she set
eyes on him. We must give her money enough to fix her up as his wife
if the _Kansas_ gets off."

"If--"

There was a world of belief in that one word. Could any one doubt the
ultimate hap of that thrice fortunate ship? Had not Mr. Boyle said her
captain was a lucky man? Elsie laughed aloud in her joy, for the queer
notion occurred to her that her grumpy friend would surely have some
remarkable story of the one-legged skipper of the _Flower of the Ocean_
brig, wherewith to point the moral and adorn the tale of the _Kansas_
and her commander.

Though Courtenay did not allow ten seconds to pass without a glance at
the charming face by his side, he, nevertheless, had a sharp eye for
events elsewhere. He saw smoke rising from the funnel of the ship; a
line of flags dancing from the foremast told him that Boyle had
discovered them as soon as they were clear of the deep shadow of
Guanaco Hill. But there were anxious moments yet in store. A fleet of
canoes put off from Otter Creek. There was every prospect of a fight
before they reached their fortress. They had a long two miles to
travel, and the India