'I feel strong enough this morning,' he replied, 'and, if I cannot
make the whole tour of the place in one day, I can at least do a
considerable part of it. I will begin at once, before the sun becomes
too fierce. But, as for you, perhaps it would be best if you stayed
here. The outlook from this portion of the island is, I think, the one
from which any ship that happened to pass would be most likely to be
observed. You see, we look west from here, towards where Africa lies,
and vessels use that track in preference to running more out into the
open.'
'I will do anything you suggest,' she said. 'Anything you think will
be for the best. But'--and again there came upon her face that
stricken look which made his heart so sad for her, and which, whenever
he observed it, caused him to bury every sorrow for himself in a
more profound and unselfish one for her--'but--you know--I--I--at
present--just at present--for a day or so--do not wish to see a ship
come here to rescue us.'
'I know, I know,' he answered, not daring to keep his eyes fixed full
upon that lovely but unhappy face. 'I know. Well, we will not look out
for rescue yet. But, still, I think you had better stay here. We do
not know for certain the size of this island; it is only guesswork on
my part. It may be too far a walk, too much of an undertaking for you.
You are not afraid--of that?' he continued, as he directed his eyes
towards Bengalee, while seeing how, as he was speaking, she, too, had
let her glance fall upon the cub, which was now pacing restlessly
about at their feet.
'No,' she said, 'I am not. Yet what you said in the night was true. It
is growing beyond control, and, of course, I know how treacherous and
savage these animals are. It was a piece of girlish folly on my part
to beg poor uncle to save it.'
'I scarcely know how we are to make away with it,' he replied. 'I have
nothing but this,'--and he took from his pocket a little white-handled
penknife, which he had probably bought for a shilling off a card
exposed in a London shop window. 'I could hardly kill it with that.
However, one thing is certain, it will die of starvation ere long on
this island. It cannot live on fruit as we can, nor catch birds, and
there are no signs of animals, not even rats or mice, as far as I can
see.'
'Oh, poor thing; what a dreadful death to die!' the girl exclaimed,
her pity at once awakened for a creature which had been more or less
her pet for some few weeks. Yet she hastened to ask if starvation did
not make such animals even more fierce than usual, and if the risk to
them both would not, thereby, be increased. Then, before he could
reply, she suddenly exclaimed, as her glance fell on the sea, 'What
is that out there? Surely--surely--it is not a drowned man? Oh, not
that--not that!'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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