I awoke parched with thirst and the
night very hot and with the moon making pale glory all about me. So I
got to my feet, albeit with much ado, being yet very feeble when her
voice reached me:

"What is it, Martin? Are you thirsty?"

"Beyond enduring!" says I.

"Bide you still!" she commanded, and next moment she flits soft-footed
into the moonlight with one of our larger shells to bring me water from
the rill near by; but seeing me on my feet, looks on me glad-eyed, then
shakes reproving head.

"Lie you down!" says she mighty serious, "Lie you down!"

"Nay, I'll go myself--" But she was past me and out of the cave or
ever I might stay her; but scarce had I seated myself upon my bed than
she was back again, the shell brimming in her hands; so I drank eagerly
enough but with my gaze on the sheen of white, rounded arm and dimpled
shoulder. Having emptied the shell I stooped to set it by, and when I
looked again she had vanished into her own small cave.

"I am glad you are so greatly better, Martin," says she from the dark.

"Indeed, I am well again!" quoth I. "To-morrow I make my bow and
arrows. Had I done this before, the Indian should never have got away."

"Think you he will return and with others, Martin?"

"No," says I (albeit my mind misgave me). "Yet 'tis best to be
prepared, so I will have a good stout pike also in place of my broken
sword."

"And strengthen our door, Martin?"

"Aye, I will so, 'tis a mighty stout door, thank God."

"Thank God!" says she mighty reverent. "And now go to sleep, Martin."
So here was silence wherein I could hear the murmur of the breakers
afar and the soft bubbling of the rill hard by, and yet sleep I could
not.

"And you caught and killed a goat!" says I.

"Nay, Martin, 'tis a horror I would forget."

"And you did it that I might eat?"

"Yes, Martin. And now hush thee."

"Though indeed," says I in a little, "thus much you would have done for
any man, to be sure!"

"To be sure, Martin--unless he were man like Black Bartlemy. Good-night
and close your eyes. Are they shut?"

"Yes," says I. "Good-night to thee, comrade."

CHAPTER XXXI

I TRY MY HAND AT POTTERY

Next morning, having bathed me in the pool, I descended thence to find
breakfast a-cooking, two noble steaks propped before the fire on
skewers stuck upright in the ground, a device methought very ingenious,
and told her so; the which did seem to please her mightily.

"Are you hungry,