uncommon about him, a look of strength and confidence extraordinary in
one so young.

"Won't you sit down?" said Captain Whyte.

Robert glanced at his clothes.

"I bring the storm with me," he said--he often spoke in the language
that he had unconsciously imbibed in much reading of the Elizabethans.

"Never mind that. Water won't hurt my cabin, and if it did you're
welcome just the same. I suppose you represent the people of the island,
to whom my crew and I owe so much."

"I am the people of the island."

"You mean that you're here alone?"

"Exactly that. But tell me, before we go any further, Captain, what
month this is."

"May."

"And the year?"

"1759."

"I wanted to be sure. I see that I've been on the island eight or nine
months, but I lost all count of time, and, now and then it seemed like
eight or nine years. As I've already told Lieutenant Lanham, I'm Robert