Chapter Fifteen.
From Shadow to Sunshine.
Brace Leigh was half-asleep still as he looked down at his sleeping brother, and had hard work to collect his thoughts before making out that it was a brilliant sunny morning, that Dan was busily preparing the breakfast, and the brig careening over to port as the water rippled by her bows.
Then everything was plain: there had been no attack in the night, the breeze had sprung up with the sun, and the brig was gliding at a fair rate up the river.
But best all and most welcome was the appearance of Sir Humphrey when Brace descended after going on deck for a refreshing morning bath, the toilet equipment consisting of a rough towel and a bucket of water dipped out of the river by one of the men.
For as Brace went to the side of the berth to gaze anxiously in his brother’s face, Sir Humphrey’s eyes opened and he stared wonderingly up into those bent upon him.
“What a horrible dream!” he said slowly. “I dreamed I—Why, it was all true: I was shot with a poisoned arrow.”
“Yes, Free, it’s all true enough,” said Brace, laying a hand upon the other’s forehead, to find it burning hot.