Again and again he shrieked. Then he suddenly sprang to his feet, tottered to and fro, and next moment fell forward unconscious. At the same moment Ellison heard a footstep behind him. Looking round he saw Merton standing in the doorway.
"What is the matter with him?" he asked. "Can I be of any assistance?"
"D. T., I'm afraid. And a pretty bad case, I think. What can we do?"
"Get him on to his bed, I should say, and send for the doctor."
"Well, let's try."
Between them they picked him up and carried him to his bed. Having laid him there, Ellison said:
"Would you mind staying with him for a minute while I send a hand across to the settlement for the medico?"
"Go ahead, I'll watch him."
Ellison went out and left them alone together. As soon as the door had closed upon him Merton leaned over the bed and looked fixedly at the man stretched upon it.
"Yes," he said, when he had finished his scrutiny, "I thought I couldn't be mistaken. It's the very man himself. This is getting interesting. My friend,—what do you call yourself? Oh, Murkard—when you recover your wits again you'll have a little surprise in store for you. In the meantime I've got to play my cards carefully, or that fool may suspect."