xamined and made ready, a watch was set; and in the shade of
the cocoa-nut grove the greatest boon of the weary was sought and
found--for by mid-day, when the sun was scorching in its power, all had
gladly lain down to rest and find the sleep that would prepare them for
the struggle for life in which they were to engage.

"So we are to be the first watch--eh, Mark?" said the major.

"Yes, sir," was the reply.

"Four hours. Shall we keep awake?"

Just then there was a low moan.

"Yes," said the major; "we shall not want to sleep with poor Morgan like
that."

"Will he recover, sir?" whispered Mark as he knelt in the sand by the
sick man's head, and raised some cocoa-nut leaves over his head as a
screen.

"Please God!" said the major piously; and he followed Mark's example and
screened the injured and now delirious fore-mast-man from the sunbeams,
which streamed like silvery arrows through the great founts of verdant
leaves.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

HOW THE WATCH HEARD A NOISE.

That was a weary watch, but, as the major said, they did not want to
sleep, with the wounded men moaning and muttering in their uneasy rest.
For there was so much to do, seeing to the shade and altering the
positions of the leaves, so that while the sun was kept off, the soft
breeze from the sea was allowed to cool the fevered brows of the
patients.

Then there were flies which were disposed to be troublesome and had to
be kept at a distance, Mark making a loose chowry, like a horse-tail, of
long wiry grass, and this proving so effective that the major annexed
it, and advised Mark to make another.

And so an hour passed away, after which Mark took a tin and fetched some
of the cool spring-water which came trickling down from the interior,
deeply shaded by the ferns, and so low among mossy stones that he had to
climb into a narrow chasm to the clear basin-like pool.

With this he prepared to bathe Morgan's forehead; but as he bent over
him the poor fellow's countenance wore so terrible an aspect, the skin
being absolutely green, that the lad shrank away and signed to the
major.

"Well, my lad, what is it?"

"Look!--his face! What does it mean?"

"Eh!--mean! What?"

"Don't you see? That horrible green!"

"Tchah! what are you talking about?" said the major, picking up a leaf
and holding it over his head. "Now, then, what colour is my face?"

"Green," said Mark, smiling. "How stupid of me!"

"Well, we will not call it