's more than I can say of some of the
rest."

"But Tim Howlett and Trinder are smart hands, surely?" I observed.

"They may be, but I don't like their goings on. If others trust them,
it's more than I do."

"I am sorry to hear you say that of the men," I remarked. "I fancied
that they were about the best men we have on board."

"You haven't seen as much of them as I have, or you wouldn't say that of
them," replied the boatswain.

"I'll give a hint to the first mate of what you think," I said.

"No use in doing that. He generally has his weather eye open, but he's
too generous to believe evil of a man unless he has strong proof. You
must leave him to find the matter out for himself."

At last we sighted the island of Singapore. Instead, however, of
bringing up before the town we made a signal for three boats, which
towed us into the new harbour. There we came to an anchor close to the
shore, and were able to refit much more rapidly than we could have done
in any other place. Our crew generally laboured away from sunrise to
sunset without complaining. But Howlett and Trinder grumbled at the
additional work they had to perform. The second mate seemed always out
of humour, and went about his duty in a listless fashion, frequently
abusing the men without any cause for so doing. The captain, who was
getting better, would not allow himself to be taken on shore to the
hospital, asserting that he was much more comfortable on board with Mr
Radburn, Blyth, and me to look after him, than he should be there. We,
however, persuaded him to let us send for a doctor, who came, and,
greatly to our relief, assured us that he was going on favourably,
although it might be a long time before he would be able to attend to
his duty on deck. The first mate had asked Ned if he would enter in
place of Mason, but he did not--as I thought he would have been glad to
do--accept the offer.

I spoke to him, advising him to remain, assuring him that he would be
well treated.

"The first mate and boatswain are kind to me, but I think, sir, I had
better ship on board another vessel homeward-bound," he replied.

I asked him, however, to remain a day or two, which he agreed to do.
Next morning, when the hands were mustered for work, Howlett and Trinder
were not to be found. I was sent on shore to look for them, it being
supposed that they were not far off, but after a long search I had to
return on board and say that I could not fi