And Warrender, undressing within the tent, smiled as he heard the lingerer's pleasant voice.
"Dark is life's shore, love, life is so deep:
Leave me no more, but sing me to sleep."
CHAPTER V
THE GAME BEGINS
For all his loquacity, his gamesomeness of temper, Pratt was not without a modicum of discretion. Next morning, when they had taken their swim and were preparing breakfast, he did not revive the subject of spooks, or make any allusion to Armstrong's ill-humour. Armstrong, for his part, always at his best in the freshness of the early hours, had thrown off the oppression of the night, and appeared his cheerful, vigorous, rather silent self.
"You fellows," said Warrender, as they devoured cold sausages and a stale loaf, "after I've overhauled the engine, I think of pulling up stream in the dinghy and getting some new bread at the village----"
"Rolls, if you can," Pratt interpolated.
"And some butter and cheese, etcetera. Now we're on this island, we may as well explore it. You can do that while I'm away."
"And hand you a neatly written report of our discoveries. All right, Mr. President."
"I shan't be gone more than about a couple of hours."