Таємничий острів

           Thefollowingdayswerethesaddestofanythatthecolonistshadpassedontheisland!Herbert’sweaknessvisiblyincreased.Itappearedthatamoreseriousmalady,theconsequenceoftheprofoundphysiologicaldisturbancehehadgonethrough,threatenedtodeclareitself,andGideonSpilettfearedsuchanaggravationofhisconditionthathewouldbepowerlesstofightagainstit!

           Infact,Herbertremainedinanalmostcontinuousstateofdrowsiness,andsymptomsofdeliriumbegantomanifestthemselves.Refreshingdrinksweretheonlyremediesatthecolonists’disposal.Thefeverwasnotasyetveryhigh,butitsoonappearedthatitwouldprobablyrecuratregularintervals.GideonSpilettfirstrecognizedthisonthe6thofDecember.

           Thepoorboy,whosefingers,nose,andearshadbecomeextremelypale,wasatfirstseizedwithslightshiverings,horripilations,andtremblings.Hispulsewasweakandirregular,hisskindry,histhirstintense.Tothissoonsucceededahotfit;hisfacebecameflushed;hisskinreddened;hispulsequick;thenaprofuseperspirationbrokeoutafterwhichthefeverseemedtodiminish.Theattackhadlastednearlyfivehours.

           GideonSpiletthadnotleftHerbert,who,itwasonlytoocertain,wasnowseizedbyanintermittentfever,andthisfevermustbecuredatanycostbeforeitshouldassumeamoreseriousaspect.

           "Andinordertocureit,"saidSpiletttoCyrusHarding,"weneedafebrifuge."

           "Afebrifuge—"answeredtheengineer."WehaveneitherPeruvianbark,norsulphateofquinine."