guess.--Look here, sir, I know;
we'll smoke the beggar out."

"A capital way," said Syd; "only we've first got to find the hole."

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

The sea was terrific when Sydney took his first look-out next morning,
after a good restful sleep, and he felt terribly low-spirited, for he
was experienced enough to see that Mr Dallas was in a very low and
dangerous state. He was feverish, and lay wild-eyed and strange,
evidently recognising no one, but talking in a low, muttering way.

"It's too much to be on my shoulders," Syd said to himself,
despondently, as he took off his hat, and stood letting the cool morning
air fan his forehead. "Mr Dallas wanting a surgeon, Terry setting me
at defiance, the men half mutinous, and the whole charge of everything
on my shoulders."

One of his remarks was hardly fair, for the men greeted him with a smile
and a cheery aspect every time he went near them, and after their
breakfast worked most energetically to make the improvements suggested
overnight, so that about sundown Strake smiled in his grim way, and
touched his hat.

"There, sir," he said; "the captain may come back and land now if he
likes. I shouldn't be ashamed to show him round."

"No, Strake; everything is beautifully neat."

"Yes, sir; decks cleared for action. We're ready for anybody now."

"Have you looked in on the lieutenant lately?"

"Half-hour ago, sir. Mr Roylance was with him, watching closely."

"Well, don't you think he looks very bad?"

"Yes, sir; purty well. Bad as one's officer could look to be alive."

"And you talk of it in that cool way."

"Well, sir, how am I to talk? He's no worse than lots more I've seen."

"But do you think he's dying?"

"Nay: not he, sir. Lots of life in him yet. And look here, sir, what
do you say to that?"

"A bit of biscuit?"

"Yes, sir; that's it. Monkey, sir, or a bear?"

"I don't understand you, Strake."

"Picked it up, sir, just where we tried to catch him last night. I'm
going to lie wait for that gentleman, and give him a pill."

"Oh, never mind about that, Strake; there's so much else to think about.
I've been in twice to Mr Dallas, and he doesn't know me."

"Dessay not, sir. Lost a deal of blood, you see. He's all right, I'm
sure. Why, I've seen lots o' men worse than he, ever so much; legs off,
both on 'em, an' an arm took off fust by a shot and then afterwards by
the doctors, and they've come round."

"But, Strake--"