the rocks, but where he stood there was hardly a
breath of air. Then with the novelty of his sensations increasing, and
feeling that all this seemed to him like a dream from which he would
awake in the morning, he walked to where the watch was posted, and
started a little on seeing two figures in the darkness instead of one.

"On'y me, Mr Belton, sir," came in the boatswain's gruff growl.
"Rogers here felt it a bit lonesome like with no company but a long gun.
And look ye here, mate," he whispered to the man, "don't you never
forget to reload arter you've fired your pistol."

"Seen or heard anything more?" said Syd, making an effort to keep up his
new dignity.

"No, sir. Fancied I did once, but it warn't nothing."

"Blowing very hard, bo'sun."

"Well, sir, tidy, tidy; most a capful o' wind. Thought I'd come and
stay with him, sir," he whispered, as they walked aside to gaze out to
sea; "bit scared like arter seeing that there thing again."

"There was something, Barney, I'm sure."

"Steady, Master Syd, sir, steady," growled the boatswain. "You can't
lower yourself to call me Barney now you're commander of a fort, and a
werry strong one too."

"Oh, very well, bo'sun. But about that thing, whatever it was. What do
you think it could be?"

"Well, sir, I don't see how it could get here; but it's either a monkey
or some small kind o' nigger as lives nateral like on rocks."

"But what could he live on?"

"Dunno, sir; lickin' on 'em p'r'aps."

"But there's no water."

"No, sir; that's what puzzles me. The worst on it is it scares the
lads."

"Well, it is startling. He did not hit it, I suppose?"

"Hit it?" said the boatswain, contemptuously; "not him, sir. Get's
thinking it's--there, I arn't going to say what he thinks. Sailors has
all kind o' Davy Jonesy ideas in their heads till they gets promoted,
and then o' course they're obliged to be 'bove all that sort of thing."

"When do you think the frigate will be back?"

"Can't say, sir. Not so long as the wind's blowing like this."

"Oh!" ejaculated Syd; "so unfortunate. Just as we want the surgeon so
badly."

"What for, sir?"

"Mr Dallas, of course."

"Surgeon? What do he want with a surgeon? You mended him a deal better
than I've seen poor chaps patched in the cockpit during an action, when
the surgeon and his mates was busy. Look ye here, Master Syd, I've
knowed you ever since you was a bit of a toddlin' thing as held on to my
finge