k. "I say,
though, you do look a lot better."

"I am, sir," said the man, smiling. "And now we have got up here, sir,
I want you to ask Sir James and the doctor to set me to work."

"Why, you are too weak yet."

"Weak, sir? Not so weak as that. 'Sides, doing a bit of hauling or
something of that kind will help to get me in sailing trim once more.
Why, arter all these long weeks lying by and feeling that I should never
be a man again--why, the very sound of doing something sets one
longing."

"Well, you go on getting better."

"Better, sir! I am better," cried the man sharply. "I know I don't
look thin and like a fellow on the sick list, but the time I overhauled
you down there at the port I felt like a walking shadder."

"Ah, that's the doctor's physic," said Dean.

"Physic, sir? Why, he never give me none--nothing but some white
stuff--ten drips as he let drop carefully out of a little bottle. No,
sir, it warn't that, but getting up here where one could breathe, and
now instead of lying awake in the dark with the mysture running off
one's face in drops, I just put my head down of a night feeling the cold
air blowing over one, and the next minute I am fast asleep."

"Yes, one can sleep here," said Mark, "sound as a top."

"Yes, sir; same here, sir. Oh, I shall be all right in a day or two,
sir, if I can get to work. I don't hold with hanging about with them
two men of yourn looking at me as if I warn't worth my salt."

"Do they?" said Mark sharply.

"Well, perhaps it arn't that, sir, but that's what I feel."

"But look here," cried Mark; "aren't they civil to you? Because we are
not going to stand that; are we, Dean?"

"Certainly not."

"Beg pardon, sir; please don't you go a-thinking that I'm a-finding
fault."

"You look here," said Mark. "If they--"

"Oh, I beg your pardon, sir," said the man. "You see, it's like this;
you picked me up, quite a stranger, and it's quite nat'ral that they
shouldn't like a chap on the sick list stuck along with them all at
once."

"It's no business of theirs," said Mark shortly. "They have come out
here with us to do their duty; and just now it's their duty to do what's
right by you, and if my father or the doctor knew that--what?"

"Well, sir, I daresay I'm wrong, but I've got it into my head that one
of them feels a bit jealous like that I'm going to step into his shoes
and that he'll be dismissed his ship."

"Pshaw!" ejaculated Mark angrily. "He