ace by power of contrast. There you'll be snug and
warm."

"And you can bind up your wound again and get back your strength."

"Aye, we can bind it up again, but it's not so sure about my getting
back my strength. I tell you again, lad, that the grape bit deep. It
hurts me all the time to think I was lured under those guns by a silly
old fiddler and a couple of silly sailors dancing to his silly tune.
You're a good lad, Peter, I give you credit for it, and since, beside
myself, only one on board the schooner was saved, I'm glad it was you
and not a member of the crew."

"We don't know that others were not saved. We haven't had time yet to
see."

"I know they weren't. It's only a miracle that we two came through the
reefs. Miracles may happen, Peter, but they don't happen often. Nobody
else will appear on the island. Keep steering for the hill. I'll be glad
when we get there, because, between you and me, Peter, it will be just
about as far as I can go and I'll need a long, long rest."

He bore so heavily upon Robert now that their progress was very slow,
and the lad himself began to grow weak. It was impossible for any one,
no matter how hardy of body and soul, to endure long, after going
through what he had suffered. He too staggered.

"I'm leaning hard on you, Peter," said the slaver. "I know it, but I
can't help it. What a difference a whiff of grapeshot makes!"

Robert steadied himself, made a mighty effort, and they went on. The
wind shifted now and the rain drove directly in his face. It was cold to
him, but it seemed to whip a little increase of vigor and strength into
his blood, and he was able to go somewhat faster. As he pulled along
with his burden he looked curiously at the region through which he was
traveling. The ground was rough, often with layers of coral, and he saw
on all sides of him dense groves of bushes, among which he recognized
the banana by the fruit. It gave him a thrill of relief. At all events
here was food of a kind, and they would not starve to death. It was the
first time he had thought of food. Hitherto he had been occupied wholly
with the struggle for immediate life.

A belt of tall trees shut out the hill toward which he had been
steering, and he was uncertain. But the man gave him guidance.

"More to the right, Peter," he said. "I won't let you go astray, and
it's full lucky for us both that I know this island."

A half hour of painful struggle and Robert saw the dark shape