caught also, though reluctantly, and while Rachel blew on it, he felt
round for dead leaves and little sticks, some of which were coaxed into
flame.

After this things were easy since fuel lay about in abundance, so that
soon they had a splendid fire burning in the mouth of the cave whence the
smoke escaped. Now they were able to warm and dry themselves, and as the
heat entered into their chilled bodies, their spirits rose. Indeed the
contrast between this snug hiding place and blazing fire of drift wood and
the roaring tempest without, conduced to cheerfulness in young people who
had just narrowly escaped from drowning.

"I am so hungry," said Rachel, presently.

Again Richard began to search, and this time produced from the pocket of
his coat a long and thick strip of sun-dried meat.

"Can you eat biltong?" he asked.

"Of course," she answered eagerly.

"Then you must cut it up," he said, giving her the meat and his knife. "My
arm hurts me, I can't."

"Oh!" she exclaimed, "how selfish I am. I forgot about that stick striking
you. Let me see the place."

He took off his coat and knelt down while she stood over him and examined
his wound by the light of the fire, to find that the left upper arm was
bruised, torn and bleeding. As it will be remembered that Rachel had no