"Ye came to her sick and starving!" cried Jim accusingly; "she took ye in and fed ye, and nursed ye back to life again! What does she get for it? I found her—— Oh! it drives me mad to think on! I could kill ye—but that would only break her heart! Ye miserable Jack-a-dandy! What she can see in ye beats me!"
"What can I do?" cried Ralph despairingly. "It's not my fault! Tell me what to do, and I'll do it!"
"Stay here," said Jim. "Give up this insane chase, and make good here."
Ralph shrugged helplessly. "It's impossible," he said sullenly. "I'd be no good to Kitty if my heart was down the river."
"Your heart!" echoed Jim disgustedly. He raised his clenched fists. "Grant me patience!"
He was interrupted by the sound of Kitty's voice calling him. In the hollow where Ralph was building his raft they were invisible both from the trail, and from the camping-place on the point. Jim answered the hail sulkily. Presently Kitty, white-faced and wide-eyed, came pushing through the bushes.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded of her father.
Thus to be addressed by one of his children brought the skies tumbling about the old-fashioned father's head. He gaped at her stupidly. "That's a nice way to speak to me!" he cried, puffing out his cheeks.
It had no effect on her now. The gentle Kitty was transformed. "I believe you were trying to persuade him to stay here!" she cried, with flashing eyes.
"Well—well," stammered Jim, thoroughly confounded. "I was doing it for your sake!"