om the injuries he had received; and, as
he sat there in the darkness, he became more calm, and rejoiced in the
thought that he was growing stronger, and would, without doubt, soon be
fully recovered and able to act. Till then he made up his mind to wait.

When he had arrived at this point he began to think about his position
in connection with the rough ne'er-do-wells who were his companions. He
shivered involuntarily at the thought of being in such close touch with
men of this class; but he softened a little as he dwelt upon the fact
that, bad as he was, Pete Burge had behaved bravely, and that he had to
thank him for twice-over saving his life. He might have said three
times, but he was unaware of the patient attention he had received from
the man during the feverish hours produced by his contusions and wound.
But, still, there was a feeling of revulsion which made him shrink from
contact with one whom he felt to be the cause of all his sufferings, and
he hardened himself against the man more than against the others.

Then, with a sigh of relief, he cast all thoughts of self away, after
coming to the conclusion that, as soon as his father realised what had
happened, he would never rest till the authorities had had him found and
brought back, even if a ship was purposely despatched.

For this thought was very comforting. He had only to wait, he felt,
little thinking that the old Captain was lying in peril of his life from
the genuine trouble which had come upon him, as he mourned over the loss
of the son whom he believed to be dead, and for the recovery of whose
body he had offered a heavy reward to the fishermen.

For he said to Solly, "One of these days they will find him cast up on
the shore."

It was very dark; the cloudy sky seemed to be hanging low over the heads
of those in the boat, as the men rowed on till the overseer made a
change in his crew; the four blacks who had been rowing taking the
places of those who had been guards and steersman, while the rowers took
the muskets in turn.

The fresh crew pulled steadily and well, and the boat glided on along
the winding river, whose banks grew more and more wooded until they
seemed to be going through a thick forest, whose closely-growing trees
formed dense, high walls, above which there was a strip of dark, almost
black, sky.

Then another change was made, just when Nic was suffering from a fresh
anxiety; for after he had proved to himself, by kneeling