e in contact, to fall
directly, buzzing and rustling among the dried leaves. "That's settled
you," said Peter. "I know your little game--lay eggs and make a poor
fellow's wound go bad. Not this time!"

"Cowards!" came excitedly from Archie, and he once more tried to raise
his head, but only for it to sink back wearily. "Burning--always
burning! Oh, how hot--how hot!"

"Like some water, Mister Archie, sir?"

"Water! Who said water?"

"Me, sir. There is a little. Let me give you a taste."

There was no reply, so Peter quickly tilled the cocoa-nut shell, bore it
to his companion's side, and knelt down.

"Now then, sir, you let me hyste you up a little. Don't you try--I can
do it, and hold the nut to your lips. You will have nothing to do but
drink."

At the first touch Archie started violently.

"Who's that?" he cried.

"Only me, sir. Steady, or you will upset the whole blessed apple-cart,
and make yourself wet."

"Only me--only me," said Archie, and directly after the poor fellow sank
back again with a weary sigh.

"Look at that, now!" said Peter. "Oh! his head must be awfully bad
inside as well as out. Why, if he isn't asleep again!"

It was growing dusk, when, feeling faint, hot, and exhausted, Peter Pegg
stood over the basket, looked into it longingly, and then glanced at his
wounded companion.

"He's sure not to want anything to eat," he said to himself. "A drop of
water's about all he will touch when he comes to; and it's lucky I held
that cocoa-nut shell tight, or it would all have gone." He turned to
the jar, into which he had poured back the contents of the nearly full
shell. "Oh dear! To think I let that great, gorging fire-hose of a
hanimal suck up nearly all that beautiful water, when this place has
been like an oven and made me as thirsty as if I had been living on
commissariat bacon. Can't help it. He's sure to want a drink when he
wakes up. I must leave that."

As he spoke he turned the jar sideways, and the ruddy light which
filtered in through the cracks showed him the cool, clear fluid in the
dark bottom of the vessel. He dipped in the shell, and found he could
fill it easily.

"More than I thought," he said joyfully. "Why, I might have
half-a-shellful, and then there would be quite a shell and a half left
for the young governor. Can't help it; I must," he cried impatiently.
"My throat's as dry as a sawpit."

Dipping the shell as he still held the jar sideways