stinctively looked, upon all matters
of perplexity, removed his pipe from his lips, and said--

"Wot Cap'en Dunnin' says is true. If we take his plan, why, we'll
starve in a reg'lar way, little by little, and p'raps spin out till we
git to the Cape; w'ereas, if we take the other plan, we'll keep a little
fatter on the first part of the voyage, mayhap, but we'll arrive at the
end of it as dead as mutton, every man on us."

This view of the question seemed so just to the men, and so full of
incontrovertible wisdom, that it was received with something like a
murmur of applause.

"You're a true philosopher, Rokens. Now Doctor Hopley, I must beg you
to give us your opinion, as a medical man, on this knotty subject," said
the captain, smiling. "Do you think that we can continue to exist if
our daily allowance is reduced one-fourth?"

The doctor replied, "Let me see," and putting his finger on his
forehead, frowned portentously, affecting to give the subject the most
intense consideration. He happened to look at Jacko when he frowned,
and that pugnacious individual, happening at the same instant to look at
the doctor, and supposing that the frown was a distinct challenge to
fight, first raised his eyebrows to the top of his head in amazement,
then pulled them down over his flashing orbs in deep indignation, and
displayed all his teeth, as well as an extent of gums that was really
frightful to behold!

"Oh! Jacko, bad thing," said Ailie, in a reproachful tone, pulling the
monkey towards her.

Taking no notice of these warlike indications, the doctor, after a few
minutes' thought, looked up and said--

"I have no doubt whatever that we can stand it. Most of us are in
pretty good condition still, and have some fat to spare. Fat persons
can endure reduced allowance of food much better and longer than those
who are lean. There's Gurney, now, for instance, he could afford to
have his share even still further curtailed."

This remark was received with a grin of delighted approval by the men
and with a groan by Gurney, who rubbed his stomach gently, as if that
region were assailed with pains at the bare thought of such injustice.

"Troth, if that's true what ye say, doctor, I hope ye'll see it to be
yer duty to give wot ye cut off Gurney's share to me," remarked Briant,
"for its nothing but a bag o' bones that I am this minute."

"Oh! oh! wot a wopper," cried Jim Scroggles, whose lean and lanky person
seemed ill ad