with people."

"Under-grandmother you," I said in a low voice, so that Miss Denning
should not hear. "Don't talk such stuff."

"Go on. Insult me as much as you like," he whispered back: "I shan't
say anything. You're setting everybody against me, so that instead of
being friends, as a young officer should with his equals, I'm obliged to
go and talk to the men."

I could not help laughing again at his mock-tragic and absurd way of
taking things, and as I honestly felt that if matters were unpleasant it
was all his own fault, he leaned toward me now with his eyes half shut
and his teeth pressed together as he whispered close to my ear--

"All right. You'll be sorry for it some day, and then--"

"Here's another, Dale! Quick!" cried Mr Denning.

"Yes, yes, quick, quick," cried his sister, and I offended poor Walters
again quite unintentionally by swinging one arm across his chest in my
hurry and excitement to get to Mr Denning's help; and as I reached over
the rail to get hold of the line, I felt sure that my messmate would
think that I struck him. For the moment I felt vexed and sorry, then I
could not help smiling to think how comic it was that I should keep on
upsetting him. Then I forgot all about it in the excitement of righting
the fish.

"It's a big one, Mr Denning," I said, as we both held on to the line--
holding on now with it across the rail. "Let's give him a chance to
run, and then haul in. Then he can run over again to tire himself."

Mr Denning was too much excited to speak, but he nodded his head, and
we let the line run, after I had placed one foot upon it to hold it down
on the deck and check its race.

Away went the fish, with ring after ring working off beneath my foot
till only about three yards were left.

"Stop it now," cried Mr Denning, and I pressed my foot down hard,
feeling a curious quivering sensation run up my leg before I quite
stopped the running.

And now the fish began to rush in another direction, giving us an
opportunity to haul in some of the line; but we soon had to let it go
again; and every time I glanced at Walters, all hot, excited, and eager
as I was, I could see that he was looking on with a half-mocking scowl.

But the next minute he gave quite a start and seized the line, for the
captain, Mr Brymer, and Mr Frewen had all come up on seeing that a
fish had been hooked, and the former said sharply--

"Come, Walters, don't stand there with your hands in your