Page:Cornelia Meigs--The island of Appledore.djvu/94

76 junction and, with a great exertion managed to speak.

“That land on Appledore Island,” he began unsteadily. “Captain Saulsby’s land—some one wants to buy it—some one who isn’t square—you must see about it.”

He did not seem to be making himself very clear, and stopped to rest.

“What’s the boy talking about?” the Captain said, clearly puzzled. “Is he out of his head?”

“He sounds so but perhaps he isn’t,” the other answered; “he seems to be trying very  hard to tell you something. Here, take this.”

Billy swallowed a second dose of the detestable drink and under its reviving influence made another attempt. This time he succeeded better and seemed almost to make the Captain understand what he was trying to explain. The endeavour wearied him greatly, however, and he lay back in his berth feeling  quite worn out and very drowsy.

“We’ll let him sleep a while now,” the officer said; “that, I think, is really all he  needs. He’s a husky youngster and won’t suffer much from his ducking. I’m not so certain about the old fellow who was with him.”