e, unaided, as though she were immured
within the walls of a Russian fortress; and she further realised that
unless the dog could be induced to return to camp and guide Dick to her
rescue, she might actually remain where she was and starve ere her lover
succeeded in discovering her.

Meanwhile Dick, too, had had an unfortunate day. For late in the
afternoon, while breaking up the deck of the brig, the catamaran had in
some inexplicable manner gone adrift, and, driving athwart the stern of
the brig, snapped her mast short off at the deck, completely disabling
her, of course. In consequence of this accident, Dick had at once
knocked off work, and taken the craft across the lagoon to the camp,
intending to procure a new spar from the woods forthwith, and
immediately proceed with the repair of the damage. But the catamaran
under sail was one thing, the same craft with her wings clipped was
quite another thing; and in her disabled condition she proved so
unexpectedly unhandy that the sun had set and darkness was already
closing down when at length he got her to her usual berth.

It was Flora's invariable custom to stroll down to the beach to meet her
sweetheart as soon as she saw the catamaran coming in from the wreck;
and Leslie was greatly surprised that on this night of all others--when
the unusual lateness of his arrival and the dismantled condition of the
catamaran might have been expected to excite her curiosity--she should
fail to appear. Yet her absence aroused no shadow of anxiety within
him; for what could possibly happen to her, alone there on the island,
with the dog to protect her? Nor did the non-appearance of Sailor
awaken any suspicion within him, for he knew that the dog and the girl
were inseparable companions, and that wherever Flora might be, there
would Sailor also be found. He concluded that Flora was somehow
detained for the moment, and that she and Sailor would presently present
themselves as usual. Meanwhile, he secured the catamaran, served out
their supper rations to Cuffy and Sambo, and attended to one or two
other matters.

But when, having attended to these matters, he at length made his way to
the camp, and not only found the tent in darkness, but the cooking-stove
in its rear unlighted, he began for the first time to feel uneasy. He
whistled and called for the dog, knowing that if the animal were within
hearing he would at once bark in response, even if he did not come
bounding joyo