It built up between them--between this down-and-out beast and a man fighting to find himself--a comradeship which perhaps only the man and the beast could understand.

Even as he devoured the fish Baree kept his one eye on David, as though fearing he might lose him again if he allowed his gaze to falter for an instant.

The truculency and the menace of that eye were gone.

It was still bloodshot, still burned with a reddish fire, and a great pity swept through David, as he thought of the blows the club must have given.

He noticed, then, that Baree was making efforts to open the other eye; he saw the swollen lid flutter, the muscle twitch.