He never spoke more. He lay there dead and still in the passage.
CHAPTER VI
THE HURRICANE--CRUSOES IN GREAT SNAKE ISLAND.
Kep stepped lightly over the body of his friend, and found his way into the saloon. He sat down there, burying his face in his hands, and thanking God for something he hardly knew what.
Then the glimmer of the candle alight in the skipper's state-room attracted his attention. It was shining through the partially open doorway, and on tiptoe fearfully he approached it.
He saw at a glance what had happened and what had been intended.
Steadily now, slowly, almost mechanically he lifted out the guttering candle.
A little flat red crust had formed on the top of the wick, and this fell off just as he entered the saloon again.
Then the poor lad fainted.
Daylight was streaming in through the skylight when Kep re-opened his eyes, and found Dolphin himself bending over him.