“It all seems ridiculous to me, Charmian. Here I am as strong as an ox, healthy and whole, and enjoying life immensely. But I have been told ever since I can remember that if I don’t take those infernal tablets regularly I’ll die. Yet Doctor Shonto never has warned me against putting great strains on my heart. Always has struck me as a funny sort of heart trouble that I’m afflicted with. But I don’t know anything about diseases of the heart. This can’t be a common one, though, can it?” “It’s not your heart at all, Andy,” she said. “The doctor told me so. It’s something else--a secret between him and your parents. And I don’t know what to expect if the doctor fails to get in before your tablets give out.” This continually worried her. The doctor had said that Andy’s life depended on regular doses of the medicine, but he had not exactly warned her of death. There was something dreadful back of his solemn words which convinced her that Andy’s state would be worse than death--a living death of some sort, her reason kept on torturing her. “Well, no use to worry, sweetheart,” he said lightly. “Chances are all of your fears are useless. Have you had plenty to eat? I brought every pound I could lug. There was plenty left for the doctor and Mary to get back to the cache on. They can load up fresh there. That is, Doctor Shonto can--Mary can’t pack a pound. What have you been doing? Discovered anything? Doctor Shonto told me about his advising you to gather all the nuts and acorns you could before I came. Got any?” “Yes--piles. I gathered them in order to forget myself.” “Good idea. Let’s get to your camp now. I’m a wizard in the woods, and the doctor told me that the valley is well supplied with things to eat. I’ll show you how to roast the pine nuts and make _bellota_--Indian acorn bread--and make traps and things. This will be a regular picnic for us, Charmian. Prettiest spot I ever saw. I’m keen to get to nosing around. We’ll have the time of our young lives.” “Yes, everything will be interesting--now,” said Charmian, with a happy sigh of relief. “If--if only--” “There! There!” laughed Andy. “No ‘if onlys’ about it. Forget it and let’s begin our castaway life with nothing but anticipation.” CHAPTER XXI THE CAVE OF HYPOCRITICAL FROGS THEY lived in an enchanted land, bright and tranquil under an Indian-summer sun while mid-day hours endured, crisp with frost of mornings, calmly cold throughout the nights.