hout a mishap.

A burst of cheers greeted this, and it was then rolled on over the rough
ground with handspikes, till it was at the upper end of the gap by its
carriage, which was ready on a rough platform.

Then the unpacking began, Syd needing no instructions now the cask and
packing were rolled back, and the second gun was brought up with greater
ease than the first.

The rigging up of a kind of tripod, and hoisting each gun up into its
place on the carriage, was a mere matter of every-day detail, and before
dark Syd had the satisfaction of seeing his father's wishes carried out,
and each piece ready with its pile of shot and ammunition stowed under
the shelter of a niche in the rock which made an admirable magazine.

He had been alone part of the time, but admirably seconded by Strake,
who kept up his bit of acting at first with a show of reality that was
admirable, till he saw that his young master had grasped the requisite
knowledge, and in his excitement began to order and dictate till the
work was done; for Terry had gone off with a glass to sweep the horizon
in search of the frigate, getting under shelter of a great piece of
stone, the wind blowing almost a gale.

But he searched in vain. For some reason the _Sirius_ had sailed right
away; and he crept down at last with the unsatisfactory feeling that he
had been superseded, and that it would be some time before the frigate
returned.

But long before he descended, Roylance--who had set the sailor free, and
was watching in his place by the lieutenant's side--had communicated
with Sydney, and asked him to come and look at his patient.

It was a sad sight. The poor fellow lay motionless and breathing feebly
and hurriedly, for there was a suggestion of the fever that was pretty
sure to come; and a feeling of helplessness came over Syd as he bent
over his patient, and wondered what he could do more to save his life.

After the guns had been dragged up, a portion of the men were at liberty
to help in other ways, and a good deal more had been done to the shelter
up in the gap.

It was quite time, for with the coming night it was evident there would
be a storm. And it became a matter of certainty that if the wind did
rise, the rough tent set up with a sail thrown over a spar, for the
lieutenant's use, would be exposed to the higher waves, and must
inevitably be saturated by the spray.

It was no use to sigh, the task had at all risks to be done, and the