rolled in, to lie half insensible; but I heard the
door banged to and locked on the outside. Then a deathly feeling of
sickness came over me, and I lay wondering at the sounds I heard as of
water splashing, as if bucket after bucket was dashed down to wash
something away.

"That sound saved my life, Carey," said the doctor, after a pause, "for
it seemed to revive me to a sense of what was wrong, and I crawled from
the dreadful pool in which I lay, to tear a strip from the tablecloth
and staunch the bleeding, before I fainted away, to be revived again by
hearing a horrible crash as if someone had slipped upon the wet stairs.
The door was nearly driven in, but the fall continued, and I could hear
Mallam cursing horribly as he tried to get up, but only to fall back and
lie silent for a time. I must have fainted again, but the desire for
life was strong, and I forced myself to see to my injury. It's a
horrible wound, Carey, and bled so that I thought it would never stop;
but the bone was sound, and I was surgeon enough to tie the artery,
and--and--"

His voice had been growing weaker and weaker, and now it ceased, the
poor fellow lying with his eyes half-closed.

"Doc-tor go mumkull," whispered Jackum, but Carey made an angry gesture
and, fetching water from the table, he moistened the wounded man's lips,
and in a short time had the satisfaction of seeing him revive a little
and in a faint whisper ask for a drink. Carey raised his head a little,
and half a glassful was swallowed with avidity. This was reviving, and
the doctor was soon able to press his young companion's hand.

"Where's Bostock?" he said at last.

"On deck," said Carey, promptly; but he said nothing about the old
sailor's injury.

"Hah!" replied the doctor; "I can get better now. But what is the
matter with you, my lad? Your voice sounds strange, and you keep one
hand over your breast. What is it?"

"Oh, nothing much," said Carey, with a feeble attempt at a smile.

"Tell me," said the doctor, in almost a whisper; but there was a stern
look in his eyes as he said, "I know. You have been overtaxing
yourself. The old trouble has broken again."

"No, no," cried Carey, eagerly now. "I was on the cabin stairs seeking
for you, when that old wretch fired at me, and I felt something strike
me here." He pressed his hand upon his breast.

The knowledge that another was suffering seemed to renew the doctor's
strength.

"Let me see," he said, m