tone and manner.

Latterly I had observed that Toby's melancholy had greatly increased, and
I had frequently seen him since our arrival at the island gazing wistfully
upon the shore, when the remainder of the crew would be rioting below. I
was aware that he entertained a cordial detestation of the ship, and
believed that should a fair chance of escape present itself, he would
embrace it willingly. But the attempt was so perilous in the place where
we then lay, that I supposed myself the only individual on board the ship
who was sufficiently reckless to think of it. In this, however, I was
mistaken.

When I perceived Toby leaning, as I have mentioned, against the bulwarks
and buried in thought, it struck me at once that the subject of his
meditations might be the same as my own. And if it be so, thought I, is he
not the very one of all my shipmates whom I would choose for the partner
of my adventure? and why should I not have some comrade with me to divide
its dangers and alleviate its hardships? Perhaps I might be obliged to lie
concealed among the mountains for weeks. In such an event what a solace
would a companion be?

These thoughts passed rapidly through my mind, and I wondered why I had
not before considered the matter in this light. But it was not too late. A
tap upon the shoulder served to rouse Toby from his reverie; I found him
ripe for the enterprise, and a very few words sufficed for a mutual
understanding between us. In an hour's time we had arranged all the
preliminaries, and decided upon our plan of action. We then ratified our
engagement with an affectionate wedding of palms, and to elude suspicion
repaired each to his hammock, to spend the last night on board the
_Dolly_.

The next day the starboard watch, to which we both belonged, was to be
sent ashore on liberty; and, availing ourselves of this opportunity we
determined, as soon after landing as possible, to separate ourselves from
the rest of the men without exciting their suspicions, and strike back at
once for the mountains. Seen from the ship, the summits appeared
inaccessible, but here and there sloping spurs extended from them almost
into the sea, buttressing the lofty elevations with which they were
connected, and forming those radiating valleys I have before described.
One of these ridges, which appeared more practicable than the rest, we
determined to climb, convinced that it would conduct us to the heights
beyond. Accordingly, we carefu