“Never mind me,” said Rosco hurriedly, “but go to your father.”
“My father! Do you know, then, where he is?” cried Orlando, with sudden excitement.
“Yes. He is up there—not far off. I have just escaped from him. He is bent on taking my life. He saved me from the savages. He is mad—with fever—and stands terribly in need of help.”
Bewildered beyond expression by these contradictory statements, Orlando made no attempt to understand, but exclaimed—
“Can you guide us to him?”
“You see,” returned the pirate sadly, “I cannot even rise to my feet. The savages were burning me alive when your father came to my rescue. The flesh is dropping from the bones. I cannot help you.”
“Kin you git on my back?” asked Ebony. “You’s a good lift, but I’s awful strong.”
“I will try,” returned Rosco, “but you will have to protect me from Zeppa if he sees me, for he is bent on taking my life. He thinks that you were drowned—as, indeed, so did I—the time that you were thrown overboard without my knowledge—mind that, without my knowledge—and your father in his madness thinks he is
commissioned by God to avenge your death. Perhaps, when he sees you alive, he may change his mind, but there is no depending on one who is delirious with fever. He will probably still be in the cave when we reach it.”