don't the articles
o' war say something 'bout officers not being allowed to strike their
men?"

"Bother the articles of war!" roared Murray, leaping at the man, seizing
him by the shoulders, and shaking him to and fro with all his might.
"Bother the articles of war!" he repeated, breathless from his
exertions. "They don't say anything about knocking an idiot's head
off!"

"No, sir," said the man humbly and respectfully; "not as I knows on."

"Then I feel disposed to do it," cried the middy passionately. Then
stooping to pick up the dirk, which had slipped from his hand, to fall
with a loud jingle upon the polished floor, "No, I don't," cried the
lad, in a vexed, appealing way. "I couldn't help it, Tom! Look here,
old lad; you've always been a good stout fellow, ready to stand by me in
trouble."

"Ay, ay, sir, I have," said the man quietly, "and will again."

"Then help me now, Tom. Can't you see what a mess I'm in? Here has the
captain entrusted me with the care of this prisoner--for prisoner he is,
and you can't make anything else of him."

"Ay, ay, sir; prisoner he is, and you can't make nowt else of him."

"That's right, Tom," cried the lad, growing quite despairing in his
tones. "Sooner or later Mr Anderson or Mr Munday will be coming to
relieve me of my charge, and the first question whoever it is will ask
me will be, Where's your prisoner?"

"Ay, ay, sir! That's right enough."

"There, there! Look at it in a straightforward business-like way,"
cried the lad, and to his disgust the man slowly turned his eyes all
about the place.

"Bah!" cried Murray angrily. "What are you thinking of? Can't you
understand that I want you to help me?"

"Ay, ay, sir, and I'm a-trying as hard as nails, sir," said the man,
rousing himself up to speak more sharply; "but somehow my head don't
seem as if it would go."

"Think, man--think!" cried the middy appealingly.

"That's what I'm a-doing of, sir, but nothing comes."

"He must be somewhere, Tom."

"Yes, to be sure, sir; that's it," cried the man excitedly. "You've hit
it now. I couldn't have thought that myself."

"Oh-h-h-h!" groaned Murray. "Was ever poor wretch so tormented! What
shall I do?"

"Lookye here, sir, I want to help you."

"Oh, I feel as if I could knock your silly old head off!" cried the
middy, with a stamp upon the floor.

"Well, sir, do. You just do it if you think it will help you. I won't
mind."

"Oh, Tom, Tom!" groaned