"No," said the major, "we don't care to."
"Perhaps Haltren will stay aboard the wreck with us until the _Dione_ comes in," suggested Darrow.
"I dare say you have a camp hereabouts," said the major, staring at Haltren; "no doubt you'd be more comfortable there."
"Thanks," said Haltren, pleasantly; "I have my camp a mile below." He offered his hand to Darrow, who, too angry to speak, nodded violently towards the cabin.
"How can I?" asked Haltren. "Good-bye. And I'll say good-bye to you, major--"
"Good-bye," muttered the major, attempting to clasp his fat little hands behind his back.
Haltren, who had no idea of offering his hand, stood still a moment, glancing at the cabin skylights; then, with a final nod to Darrow, he deliberately slid over-board and waded away, knee-deep, towards the palm-fringed shore.
Darrow could not contain himself. "Major Brent," he said, "I suppose you don't realize that Haltren saved the lives of every soul aboard this launch."
"More than that," said Darrow, "he came back from safety to risk his life. As it was he lost his boat and his gun--"
"Damnation!" broke out the major; "you don't expect me to ask him to stay and meet the wife he deserted four years ago!"
And he waddled off to the engine-room, where the engineer and his assistant were tinkering at the wrecked engine.
Darrow went down into the sloppy cabin, where, on a couch, Mrs. Castle lay, ill from the shock of the recent catastrophe; and beside her stood an attractive girl stirring sweet spirits of ammonia in a tumbler.
Her eyes were fixed on the open port-hole. Through that port-hole the lagoon was visible; so was Haltren, wading shoreward, a solitary figure against the fringed rampart of the wilderness.
"I think so; I think she is asleep," said the girl, calmly.
There was a pause; then Darrow took the tumbler and stirred the contents.
"Do you know who it was that got us out of that pickle?"
"I suppose you could hear what we said on deck."
Darrow stared into the tumbler, tasted the medicine, and frowned.
"Isn't there--isn't there a chance--a ghost of a chance?" he asked.
"I think not," she answered--"I am sure not. I shall never see him again."
"I meant for myself," said Darrow, deliberately, looking her full in the face.