“Down to see the plane,” he explained breathlessly. “Farther than I thought.”
“You shouldn’t be walking on that ankle!” she said sternly. “It will only make it worse.” She saw that he carried a small bundle wrapped in oilskin under his arm. “Shall I carry them for you?”
“What? Oh, no thanks. A little bit farther won’t matter.”
She slipped her arm beneath his. “You can lean on me. It isn’t far.”
He squeezed her arm gently and released it laughing a little. “I can make it quite all right.”
It was slow business for him, getting back to the cabin and once there he sank down onto a chair and sat for a long time with closed eyes breathing heavily. At last, when Gale was beginning to get anxious, he looked up and smiled.
“What is that?” he asked, indicating the parcel on the table.
“I brought some groceries,” she answered. “Since you are going to be a hermit—you have to eat.”
“That was thoughtful of you,” he said gratefully. “I was wondering if there were any cocoanuts or bananas on this desert island.”
“I’ll cook you something,” she said with sudden inspiration. “It will take only a minute.”