perhaps they had
some of the gambler's element in their nature, and each felt that he
might win where others lost.

I had made Halkett a promise that for a couple of days, at least, I
would not hoist the signal-flag, lest any accident should induce Sir
Dudley to suspect my place of refuge, so that I was completely reduced
to my campaign against the rats for occupation and amusement. So far
as I could discover, the little island, traverse it how I would, never
varied, the same rise and swell of surface, clad with loose stone, lay
on every side; and so depressing had this mournful uniformity become to
me that I rarely ventured out of the hut, or, when I did, it was to sit
upon the little bench outside the door, from which a sea view extended
over the wide waters of the Gulf.

To sit here and try to decipher the names cut into the wood was my
constant occupation. What histories, too, did I weave of those who
carved these letters; and how did they fix themselves in my mind,
each name suggesting an identity, till I felt as if I had known them
intimately. Some seemed the precious work of weeks; and it was easy
to see that after the letters were cut, the sculptor had gone on
embellishing and ornamenting his work for very lack of labor. Others,
again, were mere initials, and one was a half-finished name, leaving me
to the perpetual doubt whether he had been rescued from his captivity,
or died ere it was completed.

Between my hours spent here and the little duties of my household, with
usually three or four explosions against my rats, the day went over,--I
will not say rapidly, but pass it did; and each night brought me nearer
to the time when I should hoist my signal, and hope--ay, that was the
great supporter through all--hope for rescue.

It was now the third night of my being on the island, and I sat at my
fire trying to invent some new mode for the destruction of my enemies,
for my last charge of powder had been expended. I had nothing remaining,
save the loading in my pistol. It was true that I had succeeded to a
great extent; the creatures no longer appeared with their former air of
assurance, nor in large bodies. Their army was evidently disorganized;
they no longer took the field in battalions, but in scattered guerilla
parties, without discipline or courage. Even had my ammunition lasted,
it is more than doubtful that my tactics would have continued to have
the same success; they had begun to dread the bottle, li