Sagesse nodded his head.
“Right,” said Gaspard, holding out his hand.
Sagesse took it.
“And now,” said he, “let us forget our differences and have a drink.”
He brought out a case-bottle of rum from a corner of the tent and two mugs. They drank together, pledging each other, pledging Fortune, Serpente, the whole world. Then Gaspard, when the carouse had lasted some two hours, lay down on his blanket and tapped his pipe out against his heel. But he could not sleep for a long time, or if he slept, his dreams were so vivid as to be almost real happenings.
Men passed before the tent entrance; they were carrying parcels and packages as though the landing party were returning to the ship. He heard Sagesse’s voice and the voice of Jules; he heard laughter and then he heard no more, for slumber had suddenly shut on him like the lid of a box.
CHAPTER XXXVIII
THE AWAKENING
He awoke not knowing in the least where he was; then he remembered.