n some part of the lake, and
we could occasionally see a black, glistening body leap into the air
and fall again into the water.

"I'm hungry," Harry announced suddenly. "I wonder if we couldn't turn
the trick on that raft ourselves?"

The same thought had occurred to me, but Harry's impulsiveness had made
me fearful of expressing it. I hesitated.

"We've got to do something," he continued.

I suggested that it might be best to wait another hour or two.

"And why? Now is as good a time as any. If we intend to find
Desiree--"

"In the name of Heaven, how can we?" I interrupted.

"You don't mean to say you don't intend to try?" he exclaimed.

"Hal, I don't know. In the first place, it's impossible. And where
could we take her and what could we do--in short, what's the use? Why
the deuce should we prolong the thing any further?

"In the world I refused to struggle because nothing tempted me; in this
infernal hole I have fought when there was nothing to fight for. If
civilization held no prize worth an effort, why should I exert myself
to preserve the life of a rat? Faugh! It's sickening! I wondered why
I wanted those spears. Now I know. I have an idea I'm going to be
coward enough to use one--or enough of a philosopher."

"Paul, that isn't like you."

"On the contrary, it is consistent with my whole life. I have never
been overly keen about it. To end it in a hole like this--well, that
isn't exactly what I expected; but it is all one--after. Understand
me, Hal; I don't want to desert you; haven't I stuck? And I would
still if there were the slightest possible chance. Where can we go?
What can we do?"

There was a long silence; then Harry's voice came calmly:

"I can stay in the game. You call yourself a philosopher. I won't
quarrel about it, but the world would call you a quitter. Whichever it
is, it's not for me. I stay in the game. I'm going to find Desiree if
I can, and, by the Lord, some day I'm going to cock my feet up on the
fender at the Midlothian and make 'em open their mouths and call me a
liar!"

"A worthy ambition."

"My own. And, Paul, you can't--you're not a quitter."

"Personally, yes. If I were here alone, Hal"--I picked up one of the
spears and passed my palm over its sharp point--"I would quit cold.
But not--not with you. I can't share your enthusiasm, but I'll go
fifty-fifty on the rest of it, including the fender--when we see it."

"That's the talk, old ma