It was with the utmost difficulty that they at length succeeded in
arousing the unfortunate man to a sense of his surroundings. Ever since
their landing on the sand-bank the poor fellow had been sinking with
startling rapidity. It seemed as though prior to their appearance he
had kept himself alive by a sheer effort of will, for the sole purpose
of relating his story and putting the avengers on the trail of his
former captain; and, this done, the strain was relaxed, and nature was
claiming her due. Evans at last sat up with great difficulty, passing
his hand over his forehead and gazing at his companions and around at
the new hut as though he had never seen either them or it before.
The three on-lookers felt an infinite compassion for the unfortunate
outcast; and although he had been, by his own showing, a party to the
most dreadful atrocities, yet Roger and the seamen felt that it was not
for them to judge him. They recognised that he had never been a willing
participator in the horrors he had described, and in their opinion he
had fully expiated his offences by the suffering and agony of remorse
which he had endured on the sand-bank. Roger tenderly supported the
emaciated frame in his arms, and tried to coax some food down the sick
man's throat; but he weakly pushed away the hands of the would-be
benefactor, and, the light of reason presently returning to his eye, he
said he could eat nothing, but pleaded for a draught of water. This was
at once given him, and, seeing that the man was too weak to swallow
anything solid, Roger ceased to persuade him. In a few minutes the poor
fellow was again sunk in a profound stupor. As no more could be done
for him, the others turned their attention to their own meal, and, being
ravenously hungry, did full justice to the food before them, averring
that they had never in the whole course of their lives tasted anything
half so enjoyable, thus conclusively proving the truth of the statement
that "hunger is the very best sauce."
Having at length satisfied their appetites, it was considered quite time
to go and wait for Mistress Turtle to make her appearance. So away they
went, and, the distance not being great, they soon arrived at the spot,
where, sure enough, they saw a fine large turtle. They had been none
too cautious in their manner of approach, as they hardly anticipated
finding her there so soon, if at all; and, directly they appeared over
the ledge of rock, away she went as fast as she could for the sea. But
Roger, who was a very fast runner, soon got in front of her and headed
her off; and a few seconds later the men came up, when their united
efforts were sufficient to turn her over on her back, after which she
was safe. Bevan then drew his knife and cut off the head, which was
thrown away; and then, making fast a rope which they had brought with
them to one of the fins, they dragged the carcass off, and at length got
it to the hut. They then started to cut it up, one of the fins being at
once dropped into the pot and stood on the fire to make soup, that the
sick man might have something more nourishing than water to drink. Then
they put away as much as would keep fresh until they had used it, and
the remainder they hung out in the sun to dry, after cutting the flesh
into strips, thus ensuring for themselves a plentiful supply of meat for
some time to come. They all now felt somewhat more comfortable in their
minds, for they were certain that with the fish they hoped to catch, and
an occasional turtle or two, with a further possibility of eggs now and
then, and, above all, a plentiful supply of water, they would be able to
hold out until the fleet came back to take them off their temporary
prison.
Having removed every particle of flesh from the shell, Irwin signified
his intention of taking the latter down to the water's edge to clean it
thoroughly, as it would then afford a very handy and useful receptacle
for water, and it would be further very useful as a bath; for it was
highly dangerous to attempt bathing in the sea, the likelihood being
that the adventurous swimmer would be snapped up by some voracious shark
before he had been a minute in the water. He therefore went off,
dragging the shell after him, while Bevan returned to the turtle's nest
for the remainder of the eggs, and Roger busied himself with the
simmering turtle soup, also taking a few strips of the meat and impaling
them on pieces of wood in readiness for the next meal. Having performed
this part of his duty he strolled away down to the beach to watch Jake
clean the turtle's shell. As he came in sight of the beach, what was
his surprise to see Jake Irwin in the water up to his arm-pits, reaching
out as though endeavouring to get hold of some object just beyond him.
The man did not see Roger, and continued his strange antics; but
presently he got hold of what he was after, which had the appearance of
a small keg that seemed to be about as much as he could conveniently
carry. He then turned round and began to make his way ashore again,
carrying his prize with him. He glanced up, saw Roger, and shouted: "I
have something here, Master Trevose, which will be very valuable to us
if it is what I believe it to be." He soon waded out and flung down a
small barrel on the sand at his feet.
"Why," said Roger, "what is that? It is a barrel of some sort, as, of
course, I can see; but what do you suppose its contents to be?"
"Well," responded the sailor, "as I was getting water to clean the
shell, I saw some object washed up and then taken out again by the
undertow; so I determined to get hold of it if possible; and next time
it rolled in I made a grab at it, but missed it; then I ran out after
it, and, after making several attempts, managed to get a hold of it, and
brought it ashore; and here it is. And I think it valuable because it
looks to me like one of the ship's spirit-casks. It may be brandy, and
if the brandy has not been spoiled by the salt water getting at it, it
will be a great blessing to that sick man Evans, and may even save his
life. And it may save ours too, if we get taken ill; for there is no
knowing when the fleet will be here again."
"Very true," responded Roger. "I do not believe that the skipper will
give up looking for us while his ships hold together; but, as you say,
it may be a long time before we are rescued, so it is as well to secure
everything we can lay our hands on. Meanwhile, let us take the barrel
up to the huts and open it, and see if the contents are what we hope
them to be, and whether they have been reached by the sea-water, and
spoiled, or not."
Then, each taking an end of the barrel--which was one of those small
casks called breakers, holding about twelve to fourteen gallons, and
therefore very weighty,--they carried it up to the hut, where they found
Bevan just returned with the remainder of the turtle's eggs. Irwin at
once set to work to remove the bung of the cask, while Roger went into
the hut and fetched out the only small vessel belonging to the little
community, a wooden mug capable of holding somewhere about a pint and a
half.