"Big rain come soon!"
The Kanaka was right. A large black cloud was coming swiftly up astern, which had not been noticed by Jack, taken up as he was by Broncho's ravings.
Hastily Jack and Tari with weak, desperate efforts managed to spread a sail to catch the precious fluid.
Jack gently pushed Broncho to one side, but this roused the madman's ire.
"If you reckons I allows a pullet like you to come man-handlin' me, you're shore saddlin' the wrong hoss. No deadbeat ain't goin' to come pawin' this longhorn 'less he's organised for war instanter——"
"Only me, Broncho! Don't you know Derringer Jack?" broke in that worthy sadly.
The delirious man stared wildly.
"Jack!" he muttered. "Why, it's Jack!" Then, overcome by the growing weakness, he sank back in the bottom of the boat, but he never took his haggard eyes from the rover.
The tropical squall approached rapidly; the stars faded away before it, as it climbed the heavens; then, with a burst of wind, the rain fell upon the boat's crew and lashed the calm sea into white as it pounded all around them.