"For what?" said Frank, cheerily.
"For writing home lies about you."
"They were not all lies, I'm sorry to say, Jack. But even if they were, I forgive you from my very soul."
Jack groaned, and said no more. Assistants now came to meet them, and Frank, who was almost exhausted with the fatigue of bringing his comrade so far, was relieved of the burden. The road was near, and Jack was soon laid upon a stretcher.
"Frank!" he gasped, rolling his eyes again, "don't leave me! For God's sake, stay by me, Frank!"
So Frank kept by his side, while the men bore him along the road to a tree, where the surgeon had hung up his red flag, and established his hospital.
Ellis had just undergone the amputation of his mangled hand, without once flinching under the surgeon's knife, and he remained on the spot to encourage Winch.
"If I die," began Jack, stirring himself more than he had been observed to do before. "Frank, do you hear me?"
"What is it, Jack?" asked the sympathizing boy.
"If I die, don't let me be buried on this miserable island!"