vessel should appear!" sighed the orderly.

"Then we must build a boat, and go in search of those who do not come in
search of us."

"Very good. But what sort of a sailor are you?"

"Everyone can be a sailor when he must," said Servadac calmly.

Ben Zoof said no more. For several succeeding days he scanned the
horizon unintermittently with his telescope. His watching was in vain.
No ship appeared upon the desert sea. "By the name of a Kabyle!" he
broke out impatiently, "his Excellency is grossly negligent!"

Although the days and nights had become reduced from twenty-four hours
to twelve, Captain Servadac would not accept the new condition of
things, but resolved to adhere to the computations of the old calendar.
Notwithstanding, therefore, that the sun had risen and set twelve times
since the commencement of the new year, he persisted in calling the
following day the 6th of January. His watch enabled him to keep an
accurate account of the passing hours.

In the course of his life, Ben Zoof had read a few books. After
pondering one day, he said: "It seems to me, captain, that you have
turned into Robinson Crusoe, and that I am your man Friday. I hope I
have not become a negro."

"No," replied the captain. "Your complexion isn't the fairest in the
world, but you are not black yet."

"Well, I had much sooner be a white Friday than a black one," rejoined
Ben Zoof.

Still no ship appeared; and Captain Servadac, after the example of all
previous Crusoes, began to consider it advisable to investigate the
resources of his domain. The new territory of which he had become the
monarch he named Gourbi Island. It had a superficial area of about
nine hundred square miles. Bullocks, cows, goats, and sheep existed in
considerable numbers; and as there seemed already to be an abundance
of game, it was hardly likely that a future supply would fail them. The
condition of the cereals was such as to promise a fine ingathering of
wheat, maize, and rice; so that for the governor and his population,
with their two horses, not only was there ample provision, but even if
other human inhabitants besides themselves should yet be discovered,
there was not the remotest prospect of any of them perishing by
starvation.

From the 6th to the 13th of January the rain came down in torrents; and,
what was quite an unusual occurrence at this season of the year, several
heavy storms broke over the island. In spite, however, of the continual
do