his!"

"I dunno, sir, but I don't mean nothing disrespectful to my officer,
sir. I thought a bit of a joke would cheer us up a bit. But it arn't
nat'ral like, for I feel as if I could lay my cocoanut up again' a tree
and howl like a sick dog as has got his fore foot under a wheel. But it
is a muddle, sir, arn't it? What shall we do?"

"I can only think one thing, Tom, and it is horrible. It seems like
giving up in despair."

"Never mind, sir: let's have it, for I want to be doing something."

"I can think of nothing but waiting till daylight."

"Can't you, sir? Well, I thought that, but it seemed to me too stoopid.
But I don't know as there isn't some good in it, for we might get them
two to lie still and sleep, and that's about all they're fit for. It's
orful dark, but that don't matter for the sick bay, and when they wake
up again in the morning, perhaps they won't talk silly. You're right,
sir; let's put our wounded to bed, and then divide the rest of the night
into two watches. I'll take the first, and you take the second watch,
which will carry us well on till daylight. What do you say to that,
sir?"

"That it is the best thing to be done; only we'll watch together, Tom,
and rest."

"Not you go to sleep, sir?" said Tom dubiously.

"I could not sleep, Tom. We'll talk in whispers about the blacks'
meeting and what they were planning to do."

"Very well, sir.--What say, Billy? No, no! No answering, my lad.
You'll be telling the niggers where we are. You've got to lie down, for
it arn't your watch.--That's the way.--Now, Mr Murray, sir, you let
your one down easy. That's the way, sir--close up together. It'll keep
'em right, and p'raps ward off the fever. Now you and I sit down and
have our palaver. I should say let's sit on 'em as soon as they're
asleep, but I s'pose you wouldn't like to sit on Mr Roberts."

"Oh no, of course not," said the midshipman.

"All right, sir; you think it wouldn't be fair to your messmate, but it
would, for it would keep him warm. But I shall do as you do, sir; or
let's try t'other way."

"What other way, Tom?"

"Sit up close to one another, back to back; then I warms you and you
warms me, and that keeps away the chill. You gets a bit tired after a
time and feels ready to droop for'ard on to your nose, but when that
comes on you can hook elbers, and that holds you upright.--Now then,
sir, how's that? Right? Wait a minute; let's have a listen. Three
ch