my
help, you shall have it."

"That's enough," said Halkett; "go on deck, and look after the boat.
None of our fellows will betray us; and in the morning we 'll tell Sir
Dudley that he threw himself overboard in the night, in a fit of frenzy.
He'll care little whether it's true or false."

"I say, Con--Con, my lad," said Halkett, as soon as the other had
mounted the ladder. "Wake up, my boy; I've something to tell you."

"I know it," said I, wishing to spare time, which I thought might be
precious; "I've been dreaming all about it."

"Poor fellow, his mind is wandering," muttered Halkett to himself.
"Come, my lad, try and put on your clothes,--here's your jacket;" and
with that he lifted me from my hammock, and began to help me to dress.

"I was dreaming, Halkett," said I, "that Sir Dudley sent me adrift in
the punt, and fired at me with the swivel, but that you rowed out and
saved me."

"That's just it!" said Halkett, with an energy that showed how the
supposed dream imposed upon him.

"You put me ashore on Anticosti, Halkett," said I; "but wasn't that
cruel!--the Black Boatswain is there."

"Never fear the Black Boatswain, my lad, he 's dead years ago; and it
strikes me you 'll steer a course in life where old wives' tales never
laid down the soundings."

"I can always be brave when I want it, Halkett," said I, letting out a
bit of my peculiar philosophy; but I saw he didn't understand my speech,
and I went on with my dressing in silence.

Halkett meanwhile continued to give me advice about the island, and
the log-houses, and the signal-ensign; in fact, about all that could
possibly concern my safety and speedy escape, concluding with a warning
to me, never to divulge that anything but a mere accident had been the
occasion of my being cast away. "This for your own sake and for mine
too, Con," said he; "for one day or other he,"--he pointed to the
after-cabin,--"he'd know it, and then it would fare badly with some of
us."

"Why not come too, Halkett?" said I; "this life is as hateful to you as
to myself."

"Hush, boy; no more of that," said he, with a degree of emotion which I
had never witnessed in him before. "Make yourself warm and snug, for you
mustn't take any spare clothes, or you 'd be suspected by whoever takes
you off the island; here's my brandy-flask and a tinder-box; that's a
small bag of biscuit,--for you 'll take six or seven hours to reach the
log-house,--and here is a pistol, with some p