CHAPTER XVI—ICARUS

Meanwhile Schwab had awoke to the facts of existence, and the manner in which he announced his awakening was characteristic.

“Himmel! how I am hungry!”

“Hullo, Mr. Schwab! Feel better?” said Tom, throwing a hasty glance at the German lying against the rail.

“Vorse! vorse! Tousand times vorse!”

Oliphant laughed at his hollow tones.

“It is nozink for to laugh,” returned Schwab with a flicker of animation. “I am vizout food, I know not how many hours. It is not viz me custom to go so long vizout food; it give me rude pain—zere!”

He laid his hand on the lowest button of his waistcoat.

“No longer am I as I vas. Vunce I swell, not too moch, but all ober; now, I fade, I shrink, I have to get ze tailor to take me in.”

“Awful, for a business man,” said Oliphant—“to be taken in, you know.”