e somewhere in his mind had grown a
little larger. His head had ceased to ache and his limbs were
free. The physical difference made a mental difference yet
greater. Although there seemed to be absolutely no way out, he would
find one.

The door was opened again, and Miguel, bearing the ship's lantern in
one hand and a plate of food in the other, came in. It was rough food
such as was served on rough ships, but Robert sat up and looked at it
hungrily. Miguel grinned, and laughed until the gold hoops in his ears
shook.

"You, Peter Smith," he said. "Me terrible glad to see you again. Miss
my old comrade. Mourn for him, and then when find him jump into the
cold river to save him."

"It's true," said Robert, "it was a long and painful parting, but here
we are, shipmates again. It was good of you, Miguel, to risk your life
to save me, and now that we've had so many polite interchanges,
suppose you save me from starving to death and pass that plate of
food."

"With ver' good will, Peter. Eat, eat with the great heartiness,
because we have ver', ver' hard work before us and for a long
time. The captain will want you to do as much work in t'ree mont' as
t'ree men do, so you can make up the t'ree mont' you have lost."

"Tell him I'm ready. I've already confessed all my sins to him."

"He won't let you work as sailor at first. He make you help me in the
cook's galley."

"I'm willing to do that too. You know I can cook. You'll remember,
Miguel, how I helped you in the Mediterranean, and how I did almost
all your work that time you were sick, when we were cruising down to
the Brazils?"

Miguel grinned.

"You have the great courage, you Peter," he said. "You always
have. Feel better now?"

"A lot, Miguel. The bread was hard, I suppose, and better potatoes
have been grown, but I didn't notice the difference. That was good
water, too. I've always thought that water was a fine drink. And now,
Miguel, hunger and thirst being satisfied, I'll get up and stretch my
limbs a while. Then I'll be ready to go to work."

"I tell you when the captain wants you. Maybe an hour from now, maybe
two hours."

He took his lantern and the empty plate and withdrew, but Robert heard
him fastening the door on the outside again. Evidently they did not
yet wholly trust the good intentions of Peter Smith, the deserter,
whom they had recaptured in the Hudson. But the spark of hope lodged
somewhere in the mind of Peter Smith was still growing