ray Heaven that she may be quite
safe by now. But tell me, do you think I--I mean we--did all we could?"

"Mister Archie, sir, once more, don't, please! I am only a poor,
ignorant chap, but I do know this, through having been in horspittle,
that you have got to keep quiet and not worry yourself if you are going
to get well. First thing, sir, is that you have got to get strong
enough so that we can escape."

"Yes, yes, Pete; that's right! Escape!" cried Archie excitedly.

"Take it coolly, sir," remonstrated the lad.

"Well, I will be cool, Pete."

"That's right, sir. We've got to escape, and I have begun preparations
already."

"Yes, that's right. What have you done?"

"Got a spear to begin with, sir."

"Ah, well, that's something."

"Yes, sir--something for you to handle like a bay'net if they won't let
us go quietly."

"Right--right!"

"And the next thing, sir, is for you to get strong to handle it."

"Ah, and I am so weak!"

"Of course you are, sir, when you have had nothing but a drop of water
for days."

"For days!"

"Yes, sir; and now your breakfast's waiting. It's only bread and fruit
and water, but it's wonderful stuff to put strength in a man, and you
have got to begin getting it into you at once."

"No, no; not yet," pleaded Archie. "Let me lie and think a bit first."

"Not a minute, sir," cried the poor fellow's nurse. "You feel as if you
couldn't touch anything, of course, but your horspittle orderly says it
is only making a beginning; and here you are--cocoa-nutful clear, fresh
water, so tip it down at once."

Archie protested feebly, and then obeyed; and after taking a sip or two
from the thick-lipped vessel, he ended by finishing the cooling draught
with something like avidity.

Shortly after Peter Pegg was watching his patient crumbling some of the
bread-cake and dipping pieces in a fresh supply of water and beginning
to eat.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

PLANS.

"Now, Mister Archie, sir, you was precious cross with me for bothering
you into eating that little bit; but ain'tcher ever so much better now?"

"Oh yes, Pete. That horrible feeling of faintness is going off; but my
head--"

"Oh, you let your head alone, sir. That'll come right if only you keep
on eating directly you begin to feel faint, if it is ever so little a
bit."

"You must make me, then, Pete. Never mind my turning disagreeable.
It's because I am not myself."

"All right, sir. Now you just tell