aved--"

The words died out, and I lay there wondering still. Then I felt that
people were coming near me, and stopped talking together.

I must have grown a little more sensible then, for I recognised the
voices as some one gave me a rude thrust with the foot.

"This boy's dead enough," and the words sounded so sharp and cruel that
they quite stung me.

"I think he is," said another voice, which I knew to be that of Walters.

"Oh yes; try him," said the first speaker, Jarette, I was certain.

And now as I felt some one take hold of my hand and raise my arm, my
full senses seemed to come, and with them an intense feeling of pain.
It was just as if the lifting of that arm was connected with something
within me which had been stopped up, for as the arm was allowed to drop
heavily back, and Walters said callously--"Yes; he's dead enough," I
shouted as loudly as I could--"No, I'm not!" and opened my eyes to stare
up at the group on deck.

There was a hearty burst of laughter at this, and I suppose it was
partly directed at Walters, who sprang up as sharply as if I had bitten
him, and then joined weakly in the laugh.

"Just like him," he said, with a contemptuous shrug of his shoulders.
"Shamming again."

"Come, I like that," I said faintly. "Why, your life's all sham."

He took a step toward me as I lay there, and I thought he was about to
kick me, but Jarette laid a hand upon his shoulder.

"Let him be," he said shortly. "Look here, young Dale, where are you
hurt?"

"I suppose I'm not hurt at all," I said, speaking with a good deal of
pain; "if I say I am, he'll tell you I'm shamming."

"Never mind him, boy," said Jarette, "listen to me. Look here, the
game's up with the officers, and they're either my prisoners or as good
as dead, so there's nothing more for you to do. Now, I suppose you
don't want me to have you thrown overboard, do you?"

"Of course not."

"Very well, then; it's only a change in your captain, and I dare say you
can be useful. What do you say to joining me?"

"What, turning mutineer and pirate?" I said boldly.

"Don't you use ugly words, boy," he said, with a scowl. "Come, I offer
you good terms; will you join us?"

"You don't want midshipmen," I said, as I tried to think hard as to what
I ought to do under the circumstances.

"How do you know, boy? Join us, and serve under me. It will only be
like going on again with your old messmate here, and I dare say I can
promote