“Yes,” Dave assented, speaking as quietly as before. “Any man who can plot to take innocent lives at wholesale is certainly a wicked scoundrel. But, if you should recover, I hope that you will lead a new life, and will be manly hereafter.”
“I—I wonder if a man can do that, after he has led the kind of life that I have led?” smiled Pembroke, weakly.
“I think so. I believe that you can. But that is not as much in my line as some other questions. The man you should talk with is one of the missionary party. Shall I waken one of them and ask him to come to you?”
“Not to-night,” Pembroke answered, tossing. “I am too weary. If I am alive in the morning, perhaps.”
“Good night,” said Dave, bending over the berth and holding out his hand.
“Can you shake hands with a fellow such as you now know me to be?” demanded Pembroke, in utter amazement.
“Not with the fellow you have been, but with the man I hope you’re going to be,” Dave answered. “Good night, Pembroke.”
“Good night, Darrin.”
[CHAPTER XV—WHEN THE FLAGSHIP WAS SIGHTED]
In the morning, when Darrin and his chum came on deck, the sun was shining brightly over Nu-ping.