And I looked at
Sylvia. She was lying in the stern muttering feebly to herself. She
didn't hear.

"God bless you, miss!" said Davis, and burst into an agony of sobs.

The last spoonful of water was handed round, the doctor forcing Sylvia's
portion into her mouth.

And we wafted on, only just moving along, for there was no breeze. And
the sun beat on us. And the sea glared. And Davis cursed. And Hookway
writhed and moaned.

"Take down the sails," said the first mate. "They are useless without
any wind. Rig them up as an awning instead."

The men obeyed.

Then the doctor seized a vessel, and filling it with sea-water poured it
over Sylvia as she lay, soaking her, clothes and all.

"Oh, doctor!" I expostulated, wonderingly.

"I'm going to drench you too, Miss Sara. It will relieve the thirst," he
said.

Sylvia opened her eyes. "Oh! it's bliss!" she said.

Dr. Atherton then poured some salt water over me, and then over Mr.
Wheeler and himself, and told the sailors to drench themselves as well.

It _was_ a little relief--only a very little; and the heat gradually
dried us up again.

"Here, give me the baler!" cried Davis in a little while, and he caught
it out of Gilliland's hand. "D'ye think I'm going to die o' thirst with
all this water about?" And dipping it over the side of the cutter, he
lifted it to his mouth.

"Stop him!" shouted the doctor in a frenzy. "The salt water'll make him
mad!"

And Gilliland, with a desperate thrust, tipped it over his clothes
instead.

Davis howled. He tried to fight; but Gilliland was too strong for him,
and soon he was huddled up in the fore part of the boat, cursing and
swearing dreadfully.

After a time he quieted down, and then he became so queer.

"Roast beef!" he murmured, smacking his lips. "An' taters! An' cabbage!
An' gravy! An' Yorkshire pudden'! My eye! It's prime! And so's the beer,
my hearties!"

He smiled. The anguish died out of his face. He thought he was eating it
all. And then he began to finish off his dinner with apple pie.

"Stow your gab!" snarled Evans. "Wot a fool he is!"

And, indeed, it was maddening to hear him.

An hour later he struggled into a sitting posture and turned a rapturous
face upon the sea. "Water!" he shouted. "Water! Water!" And before any
of the sailors could raise a hand to stop him he had rolled over the
side of the boat.

The first mate shouted. The men, feeble though they were, sprang to do
his bidding. They were