o Mr Preddle's cabin.

I could not resist the temptation of listening, and as I was standing
close by the partition, I took a step nearer to the opening I had made,
and softly drew aside the bottle I had placed before it.

Mr Frewen's lips moved, and I took it that he said "Be careful," so I
nodded to him as much as to say "I will," and listened.

I could not see through, for Mr Preddle had done as I had--drawn
something before his side of the opening, which was so small and in such
a dark part of the cabin, that unless searched for it was not likely to
be seen.

"Well, sir," cried Jarette, "when are you coming on deck again?"

"Coming on deck?" said Mr Preddle, wonderingly.

"Yes; those fish of yours want seeing to; I had to lift out half-a-dozen
this morning with that string ladle of yours."

"The little net?" cried Mr Preddle, eagerly. "That was very good of
you. How do they all seem?"

"As if they wanted their master to come and feed them. They all swam up
to the top and put their mouths out of the water; didn't they, Hampton?"

"Ay, ay, that's so," growled Bob, "and they all called out, `Wittles,
wittles,' in fish, on'y they've got such little voices through being so
much in the damp that you couldn't hear 'em."

The men laughed, and Mr Preddle joined in, but in a feeble forced way
as he said weakly--

"No, no, that was for fresh air. They'll all be dead soon, I'm afraid."

"Then why don't you come and attend to 'em?" said Jarette.

"May I, Mr Jarette?" cried Mr Preddle, excitedly.

"To be sure you may, sir. You've only got to satisfy me that you've
thrown over these people here, whom I have been obliged to shut up for
violence. Cast in your lot with us, and there you are, quite free; and
I'll--come, I'll make you naturalist to my expedition, and one of the
chief men of my island."

"Naturalist to your expedition?" faltered Mr Preddle, wondering at the
language used by a man whom he had heretofore looked upon as a common
sailor, perfectly uneducated, and ready for any amount of violence and
rapine,--"chief man in your island!"

"To be sure."

"But have you got an island?"

"Waiting for me to go and take it, sir; and there you can study nature
at home,--just the place for gentlemen like you."

"Ah, yes, that it is," said Mr Preddle.

"You'll join us then?"

"The weak limp wretch," I heard Mr Frewen whisper.

"No, sir, you said that I was a gentleman. I am, and gentlemen cannot
do s