"Well, I was stuck right off. For how did I know how many days I
was going to stay on the island? The books on shipwrecks don't say
anything about that. I didn't know whether to divide the chocolate
into five pieces or ten,--they'd have been pretty small, if I'd
had to have made it last for ten days. Do you think it would have
kept me alive for ten days, Captain?"

"I dunno," replied the Captain, "but I guess yer wouldn't have
stayed there so long as that. There'll be six foot of water on
that bar before noon, so yer wouldn't have found the settin' quite
so comfortable. Besides, some of them sharks of yours might have
et yer."

"Well, then," the young man returned, "it was lucky you came when
you did. The water was crowding me rather close. And now, what
shall I do? Will you give me a lift as far as Little Duck Island?
Or if you haven't got room enough, and I'll be in the way, why,
I'll get in Mr. Skeels' canoe again, and give you an exhibition of
wabbling."

He looked dismally toward the canoe, which we now had in tow
behind the tender. We all told the castaway that we would be glad
to have him stay with us.

"Plenty of sleepin' room on board," said Captain Bannister, "an'
you said you was goin' to Big Duck, didn't yer? You stay with us,
and we'll get yer there all right, tomorrer."

"Do you know many people on Duck Island, Mr. Daddles?" asked Ed
Mason.