"This makes the eighth day," he muttered. "Bite on the bullet, Broncho. We're not beaten yet," he said aloud; and called to the Kanaka, "How you, Tari?" "Dam fine." But the weakness of the voice gave the lie to the brave words. Of the castaways, Jack seemed to be the strongest. Whether it was due to his indomitable spirit or his wonderful endurance, he certainly bore up better than the others. Rising slowly and somewhat unsteadily to his feet, he peered round the shining horizon; then, dipping a pannikin over the side, he began pouring the refreshing liquid over the three prone forms--first soaking Jim and Broncho as they lay together amidships, and then crawling forward and performing the like service on Tari. "T'ank you, my _pleni_" whispered the tender-hearted Marquesan, pressing his cracked lips to the rover's hand. Jack's eyes grew very bright at the warm proof of affection. "_Tiakapo_, Tari," he said softly in the Gilbert dialect, gripping the Kanaka's brown fist. He did not like to say goodbye, but he felt that this was the last time his strength would allow him to come forward. "_Moee-moee ariana!_" ("Go to sleep by-and-by!"), said Tari meaningly in Tahitian, and then very softly he muttered the Samoan goodbye, "_To fa!_" The sun set in a blaze of colour, and darkness rushed upon them. Soon the lamps of heaven began to sparkle forth in all their brilliancy, and Jove's great binnacle-light, the silver moon, appeared above the horizon. With the exception of poor Jim, who babbled hoarsely with but small intervals of silence, the occupants of the boat lay motionless, quiet and still, breathing with difficulty through their blackened, dried-up throats. Jack alone still sat erect, grasping the oar. During the earlier part of the night, Broncho, unable to withstand the temptation any longer, had surreptitiously been dipping a finger over the side and then sucking it. Then for some time he lay still in the bottom of the boat by the side of the unconscious boy, too weak and exhausted to raise himself. Suddenly, about midnight, he sprang to his feet, shouting with delirium, and caused the boat to rock violently. Jack staggered up and grasped hold of the madman, fearing that he would fall overboard, and Tari made a gallant attempt to crawl aft from his position in the bows, but fell back overcome by sheer weakness. "Steady, old man, steady!" called the rover, in his thick, hoarse voice. "Lemme go, lemme go!" shrieked the madman, "an' I shorely devastates this hold-up a whole lot. He's a size too small for game like me"; and hurling Jack to one side, he drew his revolver and plumped all six shots at an imaginary foe, whom he seemed to see out on the placid waters of the great Pacific. "Ah, I reckon I perforates his innards some that time," he continued, and broke into a horrible, blood-freezing chuckle.