Page:Barbour--Joan of the ilsand.djvu/224

212 "Where did you put them?" Chester asked deliberately, hoping the sick man, taken off his guard, might give away the secret of their hiding-place. Keith, however, took no notice.

"Where did you put those pearls?" Chester persisted.

For a moment or two the sailor's mind was clearer.

"Put what?" he asked, looking surprised.

"The pearls you took out of the beam?" Chester said, slowly.

A cunning smile spread over the sick man's face.

"That's what Murdock would like to know," he replied. "Lots of people want to know that. I can't tell you, though. It's a secret, see?"

Chester's face darkened. There was no shred of doubt now that it was Keith who had taken the pearls—his pearls, practically the only fruit he had reaped after all his expense and labour at the reef. It was maddening to have a semi-conscious man taunt him about it, but he could press the matter no further, for Keith's mind wandered off to other subjects.

The change came at dawn two days later. Keith had lain at death's door all night. Fearing the end was approaching, Joan and her brother had taken turns by his side. Twice the girl thought he had ceased to breathe. And then came the great sweat. Not long after that Keith was sleeping, peacefully