sailor
was sure that this was a premonition of a lapse to unconsciousness.

"Please try not to faint again," he said. "Don't you think I had better
loosen these things? You can breathe more easily."

A ghost of a smile flickered on her lips. "No--no," she murmured. "My
eyes hurt me--that is all. Is there--any--water?"

He laid her tenderly on the sand and rose to his feet. His first glance
was towards the sea. He saw something which made him blink with
astonishment. A heavy sea was still running over the barrier reef which
enclosed a small lagoon. The contrast between the fierce commotion
outside and the comparatively smooth surface of the protected pool was
very marked. At low tide the lagoon was almost completely isolated.
Indeed, he imagined that only a fierce gale blowing from the north-west
would enable the waves to leap the reef, save where a strip of broken
water, surging far into the small natural harbor, betrayed the position
of the tiny entrance.

Yet at this very point a fine cocoanut palm reared its stately column
high in air, and its long tremulous fronds were now swinging wildly
before the gale. From where he stood it appeared to be growing in the
midst of the sea, for huge breakers completely hid the coral
embankment. This sentinel of the land had a weirdly impressive effect.
It was the only fixed object in the waste of foam-capped waves. Not a
vestige of the _Sirdar_ remained seaward, but the sand was
littered with wreckage, and--mournful spectacle!--a considerable number
of inanimate human forms lay huddled up amidst the relics of the
steamer.

This discovery stirred him to action. He turned to survey the land on
which he was stranded with his helpless companion. To his great relief
he discovered that it was lofty and tree-clad. He knew that the ship
could not have drifted to Borneo, which still lay far to the south.
This must be one of the hundreds of islands which stud the China Sea
and provide resorts for Hainan fishermen. Probably it was inhabited,
though he thought it strange that none of the islanders had put in an
appearance. In any event, water and food, of some sort, were assured.

But before setting out upon his quest two things demanded attention.
The girl must be removed from her present position. It would be too
horrible to permit her first conscious gaze to rest upon those crumpled
objects on the beach. Common humanity demanded, too, that he should
hastily examine each of the bodie