"Hows'ever, seems to me that I've got the turn; let's be thankful for
_that_, my doggie. Wonder how long I've bin ill. Months mayhap. Don't
think I could have come to be sitch a skeleton in a short time. Ha!
that minds me o' the skeleton in the wood. Have 'ee seed it, Cuff,
since I found 'ee there? Well, I must eat and drink too, if I would
keep the skin on _my_ skeleton. Wish you had hands, doggie, for I'm
greatly in need o' help just now. But you're a comfort, anyhow, even
though you hain't got no hands. I should have died without you, my
doggie--you cheer me up, d'ee see, and when it's nigh low water with a
man, it don't take much to make him slip his cable. The want of a kind
look at this here time, Cuffy, would have sent me adrift, I do believe."

It must not be supposed that all this was spoken fluently. It came
slowly, by fits and starts, with a long pause at the end of each
sentence, and with many a sigh between, expressive of extreme weakness.

"I wish I had a drink, Cuffy," said the invalid after a long pause,
turning a longing look towards the spring, which welled up pleasantly
close to the opening of the hut. "Ay, that's all very well in its way,
but bow-wowin' an' waggin' yer tail won't fetch me a can o' water.
Hows'ever, it's o' no manner o' use wishin'. `Never say die.' Here
goes."

So saying, he began slowly and painfully, but with unyielding
perseverance, to push, and draw, and hitch himself, while lying at full
length, towards the spring, which he reached at last so exhausted, that
he had barely put his lips to it and swallowed a mouthful, when his head
dropped, and he almost fainted. He was within an ace of being drowned,
but with a violent effort he drew his face out of the spring, and lay
there in a half unconscious condition for some time, with the clear cool
water playing about his temples. Reviving in a little time, he took
another sip, and then crawled back to his couch. Immediately he fell
into a profound slumber, from which Cuffy strove in vain to awaken him;
therefore, like a sagacious dog, he lay down at his master's side and
joined him in repose.

From that hour Jarwin began to mend rapidly. In a few days he was able
to walk about with the aid of a stick. In a few weeks he felt somewhat
like his former self, and soon after that, he was able to ascend to the
top of the island, and resume his watch for a passing sail. But the
first few hours of his watch beside the o