"Are they drowned?"
"I don't know! Oh, it is terrible! I swam as long as I could, then I seemed to be sinking."
"You're all right now," said Bob cheerfully. "You're just in time to have some breakfast."
He helped Mr. Tarbill to his feet. The nervous man seemed to recover rapidly, and when, at Bob's suggestion, he had taken off most of his wet clothes and was drying out near the fire, his face took on a more cheerful look.
"Those fish smell fine," he said. "I'm very fond of fish. Are you sure those are not poisonous?"
"I'm not sure," replied Bob, "and I'm too hungry to care much.
They're a sort of big sun-fish, such as I used to catch at home.
The meat looks nice and white. Better have some. I'll warm them
again."
He put them once more on the pointed sticks near the fire, and when they were sizzling he laid them on the green leaves. Then, with sticks for knives and forks, the two castaways made a fairly good meal.
"I thought I never would see land again," said the nervous man, as he began to dress in his dry clothes after the breakfast. "This has been a terrible experience for me."
"I guess it has," admitted Bob. "And for all of us. I wish I knew what has happened to the captain and the others."
"Our boat was swamped by a big wave," said Mr. Tarbill, "and suddenly we were all thrown into the water. That is the last I remember. Perhaps the captain and some of the crew may have swum ashore on another part of this island."