isher's voice say weakly--

"Is that you, Ralph, sitting there? It is so dark I can scarcely make
you out."

"Yes, it is I," I answered cheerfully. "How are you now, Six-foot? You
have had a bit of a snooze, have you not?"

"I believe I _have_ been dozing," he replied. "I seem _very_ weak,
Ralph, and I have scarcely any feeling left in my legs. I fancy I shall
not last many hours longer."

"Oh, nonsense!" I returned. "What has put that idea into your head?
Why, we shall be in Carlisle Bay by sun-rise to-morrow; and then, if you
are strong enough to bear removal, you can have your wish as to going on
shore, you know. And once there, you will _soon_ pull round, old
fellow. No more rolling and knocking about then, Harry; no more
groaning bulkheads; but the quiet and coolness that you have been
longing for, with the sea-breeze, and trees, the birds and butterflies,
and tender women to nurse and pet and make much of you, instead of us
clumsy people. Only think of it! Why, by this time to-morrow you will
feel so much better for the change that you will be wanting to sit up in
bed--or even to turn out, perhaps."

"Oh, no, no," he replied. "I am far worse than you seem to think,
Ralph. Still, I believe I _might_ pull round even yet, if I could but
get ashore."

"Well, look here," said I. "If you are to be moved to-morrow, it is of
the greatest importance that you should have a _good_ night's rest to-
night, so try, like a dear good fellow, to get to sleep again, will you?
Do you feel thirsty?"

"Rather," he replied. "But I seem to want something different from that
stuff that the doctor has mixed for me. If I could only get a little
fruit now--a bit of one of those pines you brought on board at Kingston,
for instance--I believe it would refresh me more than anything else."

"Would it?" said I; "then you shall have it; that is, if the doctor will
allow it; for now that you speak of it, I know the skipper has one or
two pines left, and I am certain you will be heartily welcome to them.
Do you mind being by yourself for a minute or two, while I run to the
doctor, and speak to him about it? All right; I will be back in a
second."

The doctor saw no objection, so we soon had a splendid pine sliced up,
and I held a thin piece to the poor little sufferer's lips. It
refreshed him greatly, and after another draught of the acid mixture he
settled down more comfortably than he had been at all. When I turned