ere Ebony, unable to restrain
his feelings, had unwittingly come into sight.

Suddenly changing his purpose, Zeppa let go his son and sprang like a
tiger on the supposed fiend. Ebony went down before him like a bulrush
before the hurricane, but, unlike it, he did not rise again. The madman
had pinned him to the earth and was compressing his throat with both
hands. It required all the united strength of his son and the negro to
loosen his grasp, and even that would not have sufficed had not the
terrible flame which had burned so long died out. It seemed to have
been suddenly extinguished by this last burst of fury, for Zeppa fell
back as helpless as an infant in their hands. Indeed he lay so still
with his eyes closed that Orlando trembled with fear lest he should be
dying.

"Now, Ebony," said he, taking the negro apart, when they had made the
exhausted man as comfortable as possible on his rude couch in the cave;
"you run down to the ship and fetch the doctor here without delay. I
will be able to manage him easily when alone. Run as you never ran
before. Don't let any soul come here except the doctor and yourself.
Tell the captain I have found him--through God's mercy--but that he is
very ill and must be carefully kept from excitement and that in the
meantime nobody is to disturb us. The doctor will of course fetch
physic; and tell him to bring his surgical instruments also, for, if I
mistake not, poor Rosco needs his attention. Do you bring up as much in
the way of provisions as you can carry, and one or two blankets. And,
harkee, make no mention of the pirate to any one. Away!"

During the delivery of this message, the negro listened eagerly, and
stood quite motionless, like a black statue, with the exception of his
glittering eyes.

"Yes, massa," he said at its conclusion, and almost literally vanished
from the scene.

Orlando then turned to his father. The worn out man still lay perfectly
quiet, with closed eyes, and countenance so pale that the dread of
approaching death again seized on the son. The breathing was, however,
slow and regular, and what appeared to be a slight degree of moisture
lay on the brow. The fact that the sick man slept soon became apparent,
and when Orlando had assured himself of this he arose, left the cave
with careful tread, and glided, rather than walked, back to the place
where the pirate had been left. There he still lay, apparently much
exhausted.

"We have found