“How did you find it? I could not tell you where to look.”
“Don’t quite know, sir. I was off my head. But I recollect you pynted, and I climbed up and up to where I found you t’other day, and then I tumbled, ’most cut to pieces with they rocks. And when I tried to get up I could hear the water gurgling, and went mad to get to it and drink it. Look here, sir—no: feel, sir; wet through with slipping in. But, oh!”
He drew a long deep breath, and then caught up the bucket.
“Let’s go and drink as long as we can, sir; but we shall want the lanthorn now.”
It was quite true, for the darkness which falls so rapidly in the tropics was quickly coming in.
“Didn’t think I was going to do this no more, sir,” said Rogers, as the pair struggled up to the quarters, and with trembling hands managed to strike a light and set the lanthorn candle burning.
“Quick!” whispered Syd, as there came a low moaning from the hospital. “If I go in they’ll be expecting water.”
“Which they shall have, sir, before long,” replied the sailor, and going back down the gap, they picked up the buckets, Syd stopping to speak to Strake.
“Yes, sir; coming round, sir, I think,” he said, hoarsely. “Is there a drop more water?”
“There’ll be plenty soon. Only wait.”