f the next
tree; but it fell with a tremendous splash into the water, and the
growth between prevented them from seeing what followed.

Rob uttered a sigh, for it was as if they had been forsaken by a friend;
and Shaddy muttered something about "ought not to have let it go."

They seemed to be very near the end. Then there was a strange, misty,
dreamy time, from which Rob was awakened by Shaddy shaking his shoulder.
"Rouse up, my lad," he said huskily. "No, no: let me sleep," sighed
Rob. "Don't--don't!"

"Rouse up, boy, I tell ye," cried the old sailor fiercely. "Here's help
coming, or I'm dreaming and off my head. Now; sit up and listen.
What's that?"

Rob struggled feebly into a sitting position, and fancied he could hear
a sound. There was moonshine on the smooth water, and the trees cast a
thick shade; but he closed his eyes again, and began to lower himself
down to drop into the sleep from which there would be no waking here on
earth.

"Ask--Mr Brazier--to look," he muttered feebly, and closed his heavy
eyes.

"No, no: you," cried Shaddy, who was kneeling beside him. "He's asleep,
like. He can't move. Rouse up, lad, for the sake of home and all you
love. I'm nearly beat out, but your young ears can listen yet, and your
eyes see. There's help coming, I tell you."

"Help?" cried Rob, making a snatch at his companion's arm.

"Yes, or else I'm dreaming it, boy. I'm off my head, and it's all
'mazed and thick. That's right, listen. Hold up by me. Now, then,
what's that black speck away yonder, like a bit o' cloud? and what's
that noise?"

"Oars," said Rob huskily, as he gave a kind of gasp.

"What?"

"Oars--and--a boat," cried the boy, his words coming with a strange
catching of the breath.

"Hurray! It is--it is," cried Shaddy; and collecting all his remaining
strength, he uttered a hoarse hail, which was supplemented by a faint
harsh cry from Rob, as he fell back senseless in their rough nest of
boughs in the fork of that prison tree.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

ALL FOR THE BEST.

Shaddy had preceded him, and neither of them heard the regular beat of
oars and the faint splashing of water as four rowers, urged on by one in
the stern, forced their way toward the spot from whence the hail had
come, till the boat went crashing among the drooping boughs, was secured
to the huge trunk, and after water and a little sopped bread had been
administered, the three sufferers were carefully lower