Joe generously offered to do his share, as did Bess, Belle and
Inez, but Cora would not let them relieve her.
So they lingered off the coast of St. Croix until the fever left
Jack, departing from his weakened body, but making his mind at rest.
Then he began to mend.
CHAPTER XXI
A STRANGE TALE
"Well, Sis, I don't see what's to keep us here any longer. We might
as well get under way again."
"Do you really feel equal to it, Jack?"
"Surely," and the heir of the Kimball family rose from the deck chair
and stretched himself. The paleness of his cheeks for the past week
was beginning to give way again to the faint glow of health.
"Sorry to get myself knocked out in that fashion," apologized Jack.
"You couldn't help it, old man," said Walter, sympathetically. "The
rest has done you good, anyhow."
"Yes, I guess I needed it," confessed Jack. "All my nerves seemed to
be on the raw edge." There was no need for him to admit this, since
it had been very evident since reaching St. Croix. The Danish
physician had given good advice, and now Jack was even better than
when he received the news of the foundering of the Ramona.
The balmy sea breezes, the lack of necessity for any hard work, the
ministrations of Cora, and, occasionally, the other girls, set Jack
in a fair way to recovery. Inez Ralcanto made many dainty Spanish
dishes for the invalid, from the stock of provisions aboard the
Tartar, and with what she could get from the island.
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