"Thar ain't no rights for skunks," growled Broncho, his eyes watching the efforts to restore the senseless man with but ill-concealed anxiety.
At last Jack opened his eyes and gasped faintly, "Water! water!"
The half of a cocoanut, full of the creamy juice, was thrust to his lips.
He drained this with a sigh of satisfaction and a hoarse murmur of,
"I'll soon be all right, boys."
Then, stretching forth his shrunken, sun-browned hand, he whispered softly,
"Lolie! Lolie!"
The woman kneeling at his side seized the rover's fingers in hers, and with big tears of thankfulness in her eyes, pressed them reassuringly.
Little Jim, with a strange lump in his throat, turned his head away quickly, whilst the bosun's mate found a sudden interest in the contemplation of their captive.
For some minutes Jack lay quiet, fumbling the woman's small hands in his with a clumsy weakness. The very touch seemed to fill the spent man with renewed life. Tenderly he stroked them, lovingly he caressed them, whilst his brain slowly cleared.