three or
four rather peculiar sniffs by one that was most suggestive of a desire
to call his officer's attention to something he wished to say.

Murray, who was pretty well acquainted with the sailor's peculiarities,
turned upon him at last sharply--

"Well, Tom," he said, "what is it?"

"Oh, nothing, sir, on'y I didn't want to seem imperent."

"I'm glad to hear it, my lad; but what did you want to say?"

"I was on'y thinking, sir."

"What about?"

"Why, sir, it seemed to me as if we was taking so much trouble to keep
watch over this here sick gentleman."

"Well, go on; don't hesitate so."

"Beg pardon, sir; I hesitate like 'cause I don't want to seem imperent."

"Then I'll forgive you if it is, Tom. Now then, what were you going to
say?"

"Only this, sir; wouldn't it have been handier like to ha' kep' him
aboard the _Seafowl_ where the watches are going on reg'lar, and the
doctor could ha' looked in upon him now and then?"

"Perhaps it would, Tom," replied Murray, "but Captain Kingsberry and the
first lieutenant may have had special reasons for what they are doing."

"Of course, sir; azackly, sir; but somehow this here does seem a bit
quiet like after what we was doing before."

"Less exciting, Tom?"

"Yes, sir. Don't think it likely, do you, sir, that the Yankee chap who
has been giving the gent inside so much trouble and nearly wherriting
his life out over the slaver, may drop in to see him, do you, sir?"

"No, Tom, I don't," said the middy shortly. "Neither do you."

Tom May shook his head and looked very hard at his officer.

"Beg pardon, sir, but you arn't quite right like, because that's just
what I was thinking, and that you might like for us all to be quite
ready for him if he did come."

"What more could I do, Tom?" said the lad anxiously, for the man's words
made him think that he had been neglecting some precaution. "A good
lookout is being kept, isn't it?"

"Seaward, sir," replied the man, "but I was thinking as the lads round
the back arn't in sight of one another."

"Oh!" cried Murray. "And you think that the enemy might come stealing
down one of the paths through the forest?"

"Didn't see no paths, sir," said the man, looking at him wonderingly.

"Neither did I, Tom."

"O' course not, sir," said the man, giving himself a punch in the ribs
with his doubled fist. "Here, I don't know what I could be thinking
of."

"Nor do I, Tom. Mine's rather a curious duty, namely,