"Now for the third, then. Where is John Davis? I do not see him." "Let us go and see." Not troubling themselves about their comrades, who were swimming towards land, the two lion-hearted men dashed to the American's help. But all was gloomy and silent around them; in vain did they cross-question the darkness, nothing appeared, neither man nor tintorera. "Can he be dead?" the Jaguar muttered, in a hollow voice. "Oh, I cannot think so," Lanzi answered, "he is so brave and clever." "Suppose we hail him? He may be wounded." "But we shall be heard from the fort." "No, the wind is off shore." "Help, help!" a voice shouted at the moment close by. "That is he," said the Jaguar; "here we are, John, so have courage." And redoubling their efforts they proceeded in the direction whence the cry for help had come. "Help, help!" the voice repeated with such an expression of agony, that the two men felt themselves shudder, although they were so inaccessible to fears. There is in the parting cry of agony of a strong man conquered by necessity, so poignant and crushing an expression, that it stirs the hearer to the depths of the soul. "Courage, courage!" the two men repeated, redoubling their already prodigious efforts. All at once they saw a black mass swirling at about a yard from them and then sink. The Jaguar immediately plunged and brought it to the surface; this mass, which they had been unable to discover in the darkness, was the body of John Davis. It was high time for them to arrive; the American, finding himself conquered in the obstinate struggle he had so long sustained against death, was sinking. Still, he had not entirely lost his senses; being held above water, he inhaled the fresh air, and was soon in a condition to answer the questions his comrades asked him. "Are you wounded?" said the Jaguar. "Yes." "What's the matter?" "I fancy my shoulder bone is put out; the monster, in dying, dealt me a blow with his tail which all but made me faint. Had it not been for you, I was lost. But good bye, and thanks; lose no further time with a man who is half dead." "We shall not abandon you if you do not abandon yourself, John. Lanzi and I, two powerful men, are ready to do everything to save you." "We are too far from land." "You are mistaken, we are almost touching it; a few more strokes and we shall find ground; let us act." "Be it so, as you insist on it." "Can you support yourself in the water by putting one hand on Lanzi's shoulder and the other on mine?" "I will try, brother." "Come on then." John Davis, stifling the horrible sufferings he underwent, succeeded in doing what the Jaguar asked him, and all three then advanced towards the shore, which was, in truth, no great distance off, and, in spite of the darkness, its outline could be distinctly marked. But, in spite of all his courage, Davis's sufferings were so atrocious, that he felt his eyes grow dim and his strength all at once fail him.