Part 20 (1/2)

At last he reached the low entrance of the slers' store-room, as Jack and he had called it He crept on carefully, and as he gained the inner end of the passage, he saw a light burning close to where the goods were piled up, but no voices reached his ear

If the s He rose to his feet, holding out the candle before hi no one, he advanced boldly across the cavern There lay a figure stretched upon the ground!

It was Jack!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

THE RAFT LAUNCHED AND VOYAGE COMMENCED

Could Jack be dead? What could have happened to hi forward, knelt down by his side, and lifted up his head He still breathed

”That's a co him to? There's not a drop of water here, and I can't carry hi”

Bill rubbed his friend's temples, while he supported his head on his knee

”Jack! Jack! rouse up, old fellow! What's come over you?”

Bill held the candle up to Jack's eyes Greatly to his joy they opened, and he said, ”Where aone?”

”I ao that I know of It's all right Stand up, old fellow, and coly

”Oh, Bill,” said Jack, drawing a deep sigh, ”I saw so did not knock you down, though”

”No; but I thought it would,” responded Jack

”That co to take what isn't your own,” said Bill

”However, don't let's talk about that If we are to get off with this tide, we old; I suppose that's what you caet it, I hope; and they have reatly re-assured Jack, who, fancying that he saw one of the ghosts he was afraid of, had fallen down in a sort of swoon How long it would have lasted if Bill had not coh to have allowed his candle to be extinguished Had this happened, he would never have been able to find his way out of the cavern He, however, with Bill by his side, soon felt like hiold pieces,” he exclaio aithout thehost will co ”Let theh already, and we ged Jack on by the aro out, and we shall not be able to see our way,” Bill continued

Jack an to think that he had better not have coold

Bill did not scold hiht still be in tiet on board the wreck and to launch their raft, but it would be broad daylight before they could get to any distance from the shore, and they would then be sure to be seen

Bill only hoped that no one would think it worth while to follow thehts, they were able to see their way pretty well, though they could not run fast for fear of extinguishi+ng them

Every now and then Jack showed an inclination to stop ”I wish I had got the gold,” he old, I say, would not do us any good I don't want it for h to make your mother independent for the rest of her days”