haustion.

"That's better," he muttered; "but I should like to dip his handkerchy
in that fresh, cold water and lay it on his head."

His hand was reached out to where he could just catch a glimpse of the
scrap of linen in the lad's breast pocket; but he snatched his extended
fingers back, and stepped away to where the basket and jar had been
placed.

"Do more harm than good," he muttered. "When I was in orspittle, I
remember old Morley said that sleep was the something that did something
to set wounded fellows up again, and if I got sopping his head, poor
chap! it would wake him up as sure as eggs is eggs." Then he went down
on his knees, picked up the cocoa-nut cup, filled it to the brim, and
very slowly trickled the contents down his throat. "Hah!" he sighed.
"Lovely!" as he held up the empty cup. "That's just the sort of stuff
as would do old Joe Smithers a world of good.--Thankye; yes, I will take
another, as you are so pressing;" and with a contented grin upon his
dirty face, grimed with perspiration and the dried stains from a cut, he
refilled the shell cup, drank the contents, replaced the little vessel
balanced upside-down upon the edge of the rough earthen jar, and then
swung himself round into a sitting position, wincing and half-groaning
with pain as he did so, leant his aching head against the thickly
plaited palm wall, and reached out for the basket, from which he picked
one of the largest golden plantains.

"There's plenty," he said softly, "and three of them just about ought to
set me up."

Then methodically breaking off the end of the one he had chosen, he
began to strip off the thick skin, letting each portion hang over his
hand, as the creamy, white, vegetable-like fruit became bared half-way
down; and then, with a sigh, he took a bite.

"That second cup of Adam's ale was better than the first," he said
appreciatively, "and this 'ere's the best banana I ever nibbled. We
used to say at home that they was like tallow candle and sleepy pear,
but this one--my word, it's heavenly!"

He took another bite, munching it slowly, with his head sinking down
gently as if to meet his hand, which came up with some effort, ready for
the next bite; and then, with his lower jaw impeded by resting upon his
chest, it ceased to move, the hand that held the banana sank into his
lap, the half-peeled fruit escaped from his fingers, and not one of the
many Malay words that he was about to remember obtained uttera