As the doctor had forecast, in half an hour's time, the color flowed back into Stuart's cheeks, his breathing became normal, and, presently, he stirred and looked around.
"What—What——" he began, bewildered.
"You went to sleep under the shade of some poison-trees, manchineel trees, we call them here," the doctor explained. "Did you eat any of the fruit?"
"I—I don't know," replied Stuart, trying to remember. "I—I sort of went to sleep, that is, my body seemed to and my head didn't. And then I saw crabs coming. At first they were only small ones, then bigger ones came, and bigger, and bigger——"
He shivered and hid his face at the remembrance.
"There was nothing there except the regular red land-crabs," said the doctor, "maybe eighteen inches across, but with a body the size of your hand. Their exaggeration of size was a delirium due to poisoning."
"And the big, black ogre?"
"Was our friend Mark, here," explained the doctor, "who rescued you, first, and has saved your life by working over you, here."
Stuart held out his hand, feebly.
"I didn't know there were any trees which hurt you unless you touched them," he said.