on, nearly
spilling the precious water in his eagerness. He called. Devereux did
not answer. He knelt down by his side. His eyes were closed, and his
arms were helplessly stretched out like those of the dead. Paul
moistened his lips, and by degrees got them far enough apart to pour
some water down his throat. At length, to Paul's great joy, Devereux
opened his eyes.

"Where is O'Grady?" he asked, and then continued--"Ah! Gerrard, is that
you? Where did you get the water? It is delicious! delicious!"

In a short time Devereux appeared to be sufficiently recovered to
understand what was said to him; and while Paul was giving him an
account of his adventures, O'Grady was seen running towards them. He
arrived almost breathless, with his arms full of shell-fish, which he
threw before them on the ground.

"I have had hard work to get them, but there is no lack of more on the
lee side of the island, so we shall not starve," he exclaimed. "But set
to and eat, for it won't do to wait for cooking, as we have no means of
kindling a fire. When we have broken our fast, I will tell you what I
have seen."

Although raw fish and cold water was not luxurious fare, the party were
much strengthened by it, and after a time Devereux declared that he felt
able to accompany his companions either to the spring, or in the
direction O'Grady had been. They came to the conclusion that the island
was inhabited; for O'Grady had seen some objects moving, which he took
for people, on a rock at some little distance from the shore, and he
supposed that they had gone there in a canoe for the purpose of fishing.
It was finally agreed that they would go towards the rock, and
endeavour to gain some information as to the island on which they had
been cast, which they were not likely to obtain from the black Paul had
seen at the hut. Devereux had much difficulty in walking, though with
the help of his shipmates he got on faster than could have been
expected. They made a shorter cut than O'Grady had taken, and were soon
opposite the rock on which he fancied that he had seen some people.

"There are two men and a boy," exclaimed Paul, whose eyesight was the
keenest of the party. "Who can they be?"

The three lads hurried on, as fast as Devereux's weakness would allow,
to the beach.

"I thought so. There can be no doubt about it," cried Paul. "They see
us. They are making signs to us. There is Alphonse, and Reuben Cole,
and old Croxt