On the other side, comparatively close at hand, was, as far as they could make out, the lovely shore of a beautiful island, bathed in sunshine and glorious in rich verdure and purple shade, while they could now clearly see the sparkling surface of the stream, which tumbled in rapids and falls down to the vivid blue waters of the lagoon.
“Looks good enough for anything, sir, don’t it?”
“A perfect paradise, Bostock,” said the doctor, who could hardly tear his eyes from the glorious scene.
“It just is, sir,” said the old sailor; “makes a man feel quite young again to see it. My word! won’t that dear lad enjy hisself as soon as he’s well enough to go ashore? I’m reckoning ongoing with him, sir. Won’t be to-day, I suppose?”
“No,” said the doctor, smiling, as he closed the glass in its case; “nor yet this month, Bostock.”
“That’s a long time, sir. I might pig-aback him if we got him ashore.”
“Let’s get him well first.”
“Right, sir, you know best; but I don’t want the poor young chap to be dull and moping. I might rig up some fishing-tackle for him, though, so’s he could sit on deck here and fish.”
“Yes, by-and-by; but he will not be dull. We’ll amuse him somehow.”
“That we will, sir; and now you must be skipper and take the lead, for I s’pose we shall have to live here a bit.”