away from my native land, and slowly opened my eyes to meet
those of my companion Jack, who, with a look of intense anxiety, was
gazing into my face.

"Speak to us, my dear Ralph!" whispered Jack tenderly. "Are you better
now?"

I smiled and looked up, saying, "Better! Why, what do you mean, Jack?
I'm quite well."

"Then what are you shamming for, and frightening us in this way?" said
Peterkin, smiling through his tears; for the poor boy had been really
under the impression that I was dying.

I now raised myself on my elbow, and putting my hand to my forehead,
found that it had been cut pretty severely, and that I had lost a good
deal of blood.

"Come, come, Ralph," said Jack, pressing me gently backward, "lie down,
my boy; you're not right yet. Wet your lips with this water; it's cool
and clear as crystal. I got it from a spring close at hand. There,
now, don't say a word--hold your tongue," he said, seeing me about to
speak. "I'll tell you all about it, but you must not utter a syllable
till you have rested well."

"Oh, don't stop him from speaking, Jack!" said Peterkin, who, now that
his fears for my safety were removed, busied himself in erecting a
shelter of broken branches in order to protect me from the wind--which,
however, was almost unnecessary, for the rock beside which I had been
laid completely broke the force of the gale. "Let him speak, Jack; it's
a comfort to hear that he's alive after lying there stiff and white and
sulky for a whole hour, just like an Egyptian mummy.--Never saw such a
fellow as you are, Ralph--always up to mischief. You've almost knocked
out all my teeth and more than half-choked me, and now you go shamming
dead! It's very wicked of you, indeed it is."

While Peterkin ran on in this style my faculties became quite clear
again, and I began to understand my position. "What do you mean by
saying I half-choked you, Peterkin?" said I.

"What do I mean? Is English not your mother-tongue? or do you want me
to repeat it in French by way of making it clearer? Don't you
remember?"

"I remember nothing," said I, interrupting him, "after we were thrown
into the sea."

"Hush, Peterkin!" said Jack; "you're exciting Ralph with your
nonsense.--I'll explain it to you. You recollect that, after the ship
struck, we three sprang over the bow into the sea? Well, I noticed that
the oar struck your head and gave you that cut on the brow which nearly
stunned you, so that you grasp