“First of all,” said the old man, “you must take off your wet clothes. I will place them where they can dry, so that you may put them on in the morning.”
With assistance Robert divested himself of his wet garments. As we know, he had little to take off. The stranger brought out a nightgown and then placed our hero in his own bed, wrapping him up in blankets.
“Now for the sleeping draught,” he said.
From a bottle he poured out a few drops, which Robert swallowed. In less than three minutes he had closed his eyes and was in a profound slumber.
The old man regarded him with satisfaction as he lay breathing tranquilly upon the bed.
“He is young and strong. Nature has been kind to him and given him an excellent constitution. Sleep will repair the ill effects of exposure. I must remember my promise to the boy,” he said.
Turning to the table, he drew from a drawer writing materials and wrote the brief message which, as we have already seen, was duly delivered, and then walked to the entrance of the cavern.
He placed a whistle to his lips, and in response to his summons a black dog came bounding to him from the recesses of the grotto and fawned upon him.
“Come with me, Carlo; I have work for you,” he said.
The dog, as if he understood, followed his master out upon the beach.