the quarter, and they had to paddle hard to keep the raft on its
proper course.

Paul was eagerly watching their progress, when he was startled by a loud
guttural sound behind him, and looking round there, he saw the hideous
black standing on what might be literally called four wooden legs--for
besides his two timber extremities, he supported his shoulders on a pair
of crutches with flat boards at the bottom, which accounted for his
being able to move on so rapidly over the soft sand. Paul could not
escape from him except into the sea, so he wisely stood still. There
was something very terrific in the black's countenance, increased by the
grimaces he made in his endeavours to speak. He pointed to the iron
pot, which Paul had slung by his side. Paul at first thought that he
was accusing him of stealing it. "If he catches hold of me, I do not
know what he may do; but at the same time, as he has no weapon in his
hand, I do not suppose that he intends to hurt me," he thought. "I will
boldly go up to him and give him the cup, and if he looks as if he would
grab me, I can easily spring out of his way."

Paul forgot that the black's crutch would make a very formidable and
far-reaching weapon. He advanced slowly, but was much reassured when
the black, pointing to the rock, made signs of drinking. "After all, he
is come as a friend to help us. He is not so ugly as I thought," he
said to himself, as he handed the can to the black. No sooner did the
black receive it, than away he went at a great rate over the sand.

Meantime the raft had been making good progress. The great fear was,
lest it might meet with some current which would sweep it out of its
course. Paul had no selfish feelings--he dreaded any accident as much
as if he had been himself on the raft. O'Grady seemed to be paddling
harder than ever. Devereux was too weak, he feared, to do much. "I
wish that I had gone," he said more than once to himself. Now the raft
was again making direct for the rock; the sail was lowered. One of the
men caught it as it was being driven round the rock by the surge of the
sea, and while they steadied it Alphonse was placed upon it, and
immediately it began to return to the shore. Alphonse had taken a
paddle, and he and O'Grady worked away manfully. They made good
progress, and in a short time reached the beach. Alphonse was sitting
on a box. It was the case of his beloved fiddle. He put it under his
arm as he steppe