“Yes, he was a merry little chap; and then that honest fellow, Reuben Cole, and old Croxton too, in spite of his sermons—they were not very long, and he had good reason for them,” chimed in O’Grady with a sigh, which sounded strange from his lips. “It seems a wonder that any of us are alive. But I am getting terribly hungry, and it doesn’t seem as if there were many fruits or vegetables to be procured on this island; however, I will go in search of what is to be found, though I suspect we shall have to make up our minds to live on shell-fish and sea-weed. In the meantime, Gerrard, do you look after Mr Devereux.”
“I will do as you order, sir; but perhaps I know more about getting shell-fish out of the crevices in the rocks than you do, and a person may easily slip in and be drowned: so if you will let me I will go,” observed Gerrard.
“No, no, I’ll go,” said O’Grady; “lend me your knife—I shall want it to scrape the shells off the rocks. And now I’m off.”
“Look out for fresh water on your way,” said Devereux, as O’Grady was moving off; “I am already fearfully thirsty.”
Devereux and Paul watched O’Grady for some time as he walked along the beach, where, as there were no rocks, he vainly searched for shell-fish. At length he was lost to sight in the distance.
“This is, I fear, a barren spot we are on, Gerrard; still, we must never give in while we are alive,” observed Devereux. “I say this, because I feel that I am not long for this world; and when you and O’Grady are left alone, you may fall into despair. Remember, struggle on till the last moment, for you do not know when help may come.”
“Oh! don’t speak in that way, Mr Devereux,” cried Paul, taking the other’s hand; “you are not acting as you advise us to act. We may find food and water too. The island seems much larger than I at first thought it was.”
“I have no wish to die, but still I do not feel as if I should recover,” answered Devereux, in a feeble voice. “If I do not, and you should get home, I wish you to go to my father and mother and sisters, and to tell them that my earnest prayer was, that those who have the right to it should have the fortune, and that I said I would rather dig or plough all my days than enjoy what is not my own.”
Paul had little doubt as to what Devereux was thinking of; still he did not like to ask him to be more explicit, so he replied—
“I am afraid that I should not be believed if I took such a message, so pray do not ask me to convey it.”