Drifting

           ItwasHercules,noteasilyrecognizedinhismagician’sattire,whowasspeakingthus,anditwasDickSandwhomhewasaddressing—DickSand,stillfeebleenough,toleanonCousinBenedict,nearwhomDingowaslying.

           Mrs.Weldon,whohadregainedconsciousness,couldonlypronouncethesewords:

           "You!Dick!You!"

           Theyoungnovicerose,butalreadyMrs.Weldonwaspressinghiminherarms,andJackwaslavishingcaressesonhim.

           "MyfriendDick!myfriendDick!"repeatedthelittleboy.Then,turningtoHercules:"AndI,"headded,"Ididnotknowyou!"

           "Hey!whatadisguise!"repliedHercules,rubbinghisbreasttoeffacethevarietyofcolorsthatstripedit.

           "Youweretoougly!"saidlittleJack.

           "Blessme!Iwasthedevil,andthedevilisnothandsome."

           "Hercules!"saidMrs.Weldon,holdingoutherhandtothebraveblack.

           "Hehasdeliveredyou,"addedDickSand,"ashehassavedme,thoughhewillnotallowit."

           "Saved!saved!Wearenotsavedyet!"repliedHercules."Andbesides,withoutMr.Benedict,whocametotelluswhereyouwere,Mrs.Weldon,wecouldnothavedoneanything."

           Infact,itwasHerculeswho,fivedaysbefore,hadjumpeduponthesavantatthemomentwhen,havingbeenledtwomilesfromthefactory,thelatterwasrunninginpursuitofhispreciousmanticore.Withoutthisincident,neitherDickSandnortheblackwouldhaveknownMrs.Weldon’sretreat,andHerculeswouldnothaveventuredtoKazoundeinamagician’sdress.