upon
that island.

When I returned to the hut it seemed to me that the sick man had less
fever than when I left him, which perhaps happened from the refreshment
of the washing that I had given him, though it might have been that the
crisis of his distemper had arrived, and that his complaint had now
lessened in its intensity.

Some time after mid-day I was sitting beside the sick man, fanning both
him and myself, for though the nights were cool at this season of the
year, the middle of the day was both exceeding hot and sultry. He had
ceased in his incessant and continuous muttering and talking, and was
now lying quite silent, though breathing short and quick with the
fever. Suddenly he spoke. "Who are you?" said he, in a quick, sharp
voice.

I thought at first he was still rambling in his mind, but when I looked
at him I saw that his bloodshot eyes were fixed upon me. I placed my
hand upon his brow, and though still very hot, I fancied that the skin
was not so dry nor so hard as it had been.

"Who are you?" said he again in the same tone.

"There," said I, "lie still and rest. You have been mightily sick."

"Is it Jack Mackra?" said he.

"Yes," said I.

"And what do you do here?" said he.

"I am come to care for you just now," said I; "but now rest quietly, for
I will not answer one single question more, and that I promise you."

He did not seek to speak again, but lay quite still, as though
meditating; and presently, as I sat fanning him, I saw him close his
eyes, and after a while, by his deep and regular breathing, knew that he
was asleep, and that his fever had turned.

As I remember all the circumstances concerning these things, I think
that up to this time I had given little if any thought concerning the
treasure of which I had been in quest; but now, seeing the sick man
fairly asleep, and in what seemed to me a fair way to mend, my mind went
instantly back to it again, for I felt well assured that I should find
it or some signs of it about the place where I then was.

It is not needful to recount all the manner in which I prosecuted my
search for the gem, for not only did I examine every scrap of paper
about the place in hopes of finding some matter concerning it, but I
sounded the walls, and pierced wellnigh every inch of the dirt floor
with a sharpened stick of wood, but found not one single sign of it
anywhere. I even searched in the pockets of the breeches which the sick
man wore, and of his