"I shall never understand how I came to fall asleep," said Elsie. "I

remember feeling very tired; I sat down for a moment, and that ended

it. The next thing I heard was a rapping on my door, and Dr.

Christobal's voice bidding me hurry if I would see the entrance to the

harbor."

The two men exchanged glances. Courtenay laughed, so pleasantly that

it was good to hear.

"Yet there was I up aloft, maneuvering the ship in the firm faith that

Dr. Christobal was busy in the cook's galley," said he.

"Ah, we have news for you," cried Elsie. "One of the poor fellows who

was knocked on the head during that terrible fight for the boats was

the master cook himself. He is better now, and breakfast can be ready

in five minutes. I'll go and tell him."

She ran off, and Joey scampered by her side, for he knew quite well

where the kitchen lay.

"Bromide is useful at times," murmured Christobal, watching Elsie until

she had disappeared. Then he turned to Courtenay.

"I suppose you have seen nothing of the boats?"

"No sign whatever. And I could hardly have missed them if they were

here. They may have escaped, but I doubt it. The sea ran very high

for a time, and the Kansas scraped past so many reefs that it was

almost impossible for each of the three boats to have done the same."

"Even if one or more of them reached land, there is small likelihood

that they would turn up in this particular bay?"

"That is true, especially if they used their sails. The Chileans who

got away in the life-boats would know sufficient of the coast to

endeavor to make a northerly course, while my parting instructions to

Malcolm were to keep to the north all the time."

"I wish now that poor Isobel Baring and the others had not left us,"

said Christobal sadly.

Courtenay was about to say something, but checked himself. He was not

blind to the aspect of affairs which Tollemache had summarized so

pithily. It might yet be that those who remained had more to endure.

Then Elsie summoned them to breakfast, which was served on deck, as the

saloon had been temporarily converted into a hospital.

Before sitting down, Courtenay paid a brief visit to Mr. Boyle.

Christobal told him not to allow the wounded man to talk too much,

complete rest for a few hours being essential. But Boyle's pallid face

lit up so brightly when the captain stood by his side that it was hard

not to indulge him to some extent.

"Huh," he said, his gruff voice strong as ever. "Christobal was not

humbugging me when he assured me you were all right. Where are we?"




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