ants ye fur to say what he's jabberin' about."

"All right," said I, bolting as quickly as I could a piece of "plum
duff" which Dobbs had just brought me. "Tell the doctor I'm coming."

"By jingo, talk of the devil!" observed Larkyns, bursting into a laugh
as Macan turned to go away. "Why, I was only just talking of that
blessed Irish marine a minute ago, and here he has come on the scene in
person, with his rum brogue."

"Hush!" I said. "He'll hear you."

"No matter if he does," rejoined Larkyns. "I suppose he knows he has
got the Cork brogue strong enough to hang a cat-block from. Besides, he
won't mind what I say."

"Faix, that's thrue for yez, sor," muttered the corporal, who caught
this remark as he was going out of the gunroom door, his ears being as
sharp as those of a fox. "Begorrah, it's moighty little onyone ivver
does mind what ye says at all, at all!"

With which doubtful compliment, capable of a double construction,
Corporal Macan marched on in front of me, holding his head very erect
and with a broad grin on his face, as if conscious of carrying off the
honours of the war, towards Dr Nettleby's sanctum on the main deck.

Here, on entering, I noticed the Spaniard sitting up in one of the
doctor's easy chairs.

He was near an open port, looking very different to what he was the last
time I had seen him, a healthy colour being now in his face; although
this was still very much drawn and careworn, but his black hair and
beard were tidily arranged, much improving his personal appearance.

He raised his eyes as I came into the cabin, and smiled faintly, seeming
to recognise me somehow or other, though he was certainly off his head
on board the wreck and could not have remembered what took place there.

"He, senor muchaco--so, young gentleman," said he, on my approaching
nearer to him. "Ta hablas Espanola--you speak my language then?"

"Si, senor--yes, sir," I replied. "Un poco--a very little!"

His face instantly brightened, and he poured out a flood of Spanish
which I could hardly follow, he spoke so quickly; although, I could
gather that he wanted to know where he was and how he had been rescued,
inquiring as well what had become of the rest who were in the ship with
him.

The doctor, to whom I tried to translate what he said, cautioned me to
be very careful what I told him in reply; for, the man, he said, was
still in a critical state and any sudden shock would retard his
recovery.