compact, and resumed.

"Talks of nothing else," he said, watching his friend, "and can't sleep
for thinking of it."

"That's bad," said Mr. Tredgold, sympathetically. "Has he tried shutting
his eyes and counting sheep jumping over a stile?"

"No, he ain't," said Mr. Stobell, exploding suddenly, and turning a
threatening glance on the speaker. "And what's more," he added, in more
ordinary tones, "he ain't going to."

"We--we've been thinking of that trip again," interposed Mr. Chalk,
hurriedly. "The more Stobell thinks of it the more he likes it. You
know what you said the last time we were here?"

The captain wrinkled his brows and looked at him inquiringly.

"Told us to go and find the island," Mr. Chalk reminded him. "You said,
'I've shown you a map of the island; now go and find it.'"

"Oh, aye," said the captain, with a laugh, "so I did."

"Stobell was wondering," continued Mr. Chalk, "whether you couldn't give
us just a little bit more of a hint, without breaking your word, of
course."

"I don't see how it could be done, "replied the captain, pondering;
"a promise is a promise."