estions and answers had been asked and replied to, with much
palavering and congratulating of one another, the intense feeling
returned to me worse than ever--my tongue being so swollen up that it
seemed to fill my mouth!

"`Have you got any water?' says I to Magellan; `I'm dying with thirst!'

"`Bless you, my hearty!' replied he, `why didn't you say that afore?
But mind now, you must go gingerly. This is all we've got till we find
some more, and we've agreed to allowance ourselves. Half a pint is all
you can have, shipmate, now, and if you drinks it all you'll get no more
to-day. I advise you to rinse your mouth out with it, for that'll make
it go further, bo!'

"So saying, Magellan hands me a pannikin into which he had drawn off the
quantity of water he had said was the allowance out of the barrico,
which I told you contained some when the pinnace was wrecked. It had
floated ashore all right, fortunately for us all; and Magellan, picking
it up, had had the good sense to economise it for the advantage of the
lot. I can't tell you how it felt as I drank it down! Nothing that I
ever tasted before or since all the world over ever came up to that
drink of water. It was like the nectar as I've read of that the old
Greek gods used to drink on Mount Olympus, for it was sweeter than any
wine or liquor that ever crossed my lips before I learnt to wear the
blue ribbon!

"I took Magellan's advice and drank it sparingly, washing my mouth out
to make it go further before I swallowed it and spinning it out as long
as I could, giving a great gasp of satisfaction as I drained down the
last drop. I never thought such a chap as Magellan would have had the
sense to lay hands on the barrico as he did and serve it out on
allowance--considering the little amount of water there was, and how all
must have been pretty nigh as thirsty as myself; but, I suppose the
peril he had been in and the fact of his not seeing any river near
taught him caution!

"Now, on seeing me drink, the others wanted the pannikin passed round;
but Jem Magellan said `No,' putting the barrico back under some leaves
alongside of where he had been sitting when I came up, which was the
reason I hadn't noticed it as I was certain to have done; and I, taking
command of the party again, as I was entitled to do as senior petty
officer, endorsed his authority, saying that it was for the good of all
that some restriction should be placed on the water so as to make i