"Got it," cried Syd.

"Yes; Strake has brought it down. It came with a rush between us, and
he fired, and then fired again."

"Yes, I heard. What is it--a bear?"

"Don't know; we want a candle. I'll fetch the one from Mr Dallas's
place and shade it with my hat."

Roylance went on toward the hospital, while Sydney cautiously felt his
way among the rocks, full of excitement and eagerness to learn what the
strange creature might be.

"Hi! where are you?" he shouted.

"This way, sir," answered a voice, which he recognised as that of
Rogers.

He hurried on, the shout coming from close by the lower gun, and as he
reached the spot he made out the group of figures, and heard the
boatswain's gruff voice groaning out--

"Oh, lor'! Oh, lor'! Oh, lor'!" Then in angry tones--"It sarved you
right. No business carrying on games like that."

"What's the matter?" cried Syd. "Is any one hurt? Haven't you shot the
bear?"

"It warn't no bear, sir," said Rogers, excitedly; "it was young Pan
Strake, and his father's brought him down."

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

"Ha' mussy on us! Here, Mr Belton, sir, quick," cried the boatswain,
hoarsely. "You said I warn't to bring pistols. Wish him as 'vented 'em
had been drowned first. Look ye here, sir; is no one going to bring a
light? Mr Belton, sir; Master Syd; pray make haste. I've made you
another job."

All this in a wild, excited manner, as, trembling now with horror,
Sydney knelt down by a dark-looking object on the rocks, lying quite
motionless, and for a few moments he could not collect himself
sufficiently to render any aid.

"Ha' mussy on us!" groaned the boatswain. Then with an angry burst, "I
want to know how he got here."

"Stowed hisself away in the boat," said one of the men, "when we corned
away, but I thought he'd gone back again to the ship."

"Brought him down. My own boy," groaned the boatswain. "Ah, here's the
light."

"Quick! Stand round so as to shelter the candle," cried Syd, who was
now recovering himself and trying to act in a calm, business-like
manner; and directly after he was kneeling there in the centre of that
ring of anxious faces, and proceeding by the light of the candle, which
the boatswain held down, to examine the boy, who lay curled up in a
heap.

To all appearances he was dead, so still did he lie; but the moment Syd
took hold of one hand to feel the injured boy's pulse, there was a
sudden spasmodic jerk and a loud