w. The sea stretched away into infinity
the bluest of the blue, and a breeze both warm and stimulating came out
of the west. Robert, however, looked mostly toward the north. Albany and
his friends now seemed a world away. He had been wrenched out of his old
life by a sudden and unimaginable catastrophe. What were Tayoga and
Willet doing now? How was the war going? For him so far as real life was
concerned the war simply did not exist. He was on a lost island with
only a wounded man for company and the struggle to survive and escape
would consume all his energies.

Presently he came to what was left of their boat. It was smashed badly
and half buried in the sand. At first he thought he might be able to use
it again, but a critical examination showed that it was damaged beyond
any power of his to repair it, and with a sigh he abandoned the thought
of escape that way.

He continued his explorations toward the south, and saw groves of wild
banana, the bushes or shrubs fifteen or twenty feet high, some of them
with ripe fruit hanging from them. He ate one and found it good, though
he was glad to know that he would not have to depend upon bananas wholly
for food.

A mile to the south and he turned inland, crossing a range of low hills,
covered with dense vegetation. As he passed among the bushes he kept his
rifle ready, not knowing whether or not dangerous wild animals were to
be found there. He had an idea they were lacking in both the Bahamas and
the West Indies, but not being sure, he meant to be on his guard.

Before he reached the bottom of the slope he heard a puff, and then the
sound of heavy feet. All his wilderness caution was alive in a moment,
and, drawing back, he cocked the rifle. Then he crept forward, conscious
that some large wild beast was near. A few steps more and he realized
that there were more than one. He heard several puffs and the heavy feet
seemed to be moving about in an aimless fashion.

He came to the edge of the bushes, and, parting them, he looked
cautiously from their cover. Then his apprehensions disappeared. Before
him stretched a wide, grassy savanna and upon it was grazing a herd of
wild cattle, at least fifty in number, stocky beasts with long horns.
Robert looked at them with satisfaction. Here was enough food on the
hoof to last him for years. They might be tough, but he had experience
enough to make them tender when it came to fire and the spit.

"Graze on in peace until I need yo