stle, near which Mr Frewen was
standing with Mr Brymer, and they were evidently listening attentively,
while Mr Preddle and Mr Denning were close up to the bulwarks on the
starboard side, I being to port.

After a time Mr Frewen approached me, and I began to think that he was
a very much taller man than I had been in the habit of supposing, and
his face was bigger too. It looked larger round than Mr Preddle's and
there was a peculiar, light, rainbow-like look around it as if I was
gazing at him through a spy-glass.

Then I started, for though he was a long way off he took hold of my
shoulder with an arm like a telescope, and shook me.

"What's the matter, Dale?" he said. "Don't look like that, my lad. Not
well?"

"Not well?" I said, or rather it was as if somebody a long way off said
so. "Of course I am. Quite well, thank you."

"Well, don't go to sleep, boy."

He shook me just as I felt as if I was beginning to fly right off over
the blue sea, and away into the fleecy clouds, and as I made an effort
to get rid of the clutch upon my shoulder, he said, or somebody else
said--

"Great heavens! what does this mean?"

I distinctly heard Mr Frewen say that, and wondered what he meant. For
it did seem absurd that he should come slowly up to me till his eyes
were looking close into mine, and then gradually shrink away again till
he was right off on the other side of the ship, and then over the
bulwarks and away at sea, till he was no higher than my finger before he
came back again.

But though he appeared to be so distant, I could hear him breathing hard
all the time.

I was so disgusted that I determined to take no notice of him, and
looked instead at the two sailors by the galley. One of them was
laughing and the other staring at me very hard. Then he began behaving
in the same manner as Mr Frewen, till the doctor said suddenly--

"Drink this."

It was cold water, and tasted, delicious.

"Thank you," I said, with my voice sounding a long way off, and I think
it was Mr Brymer who spoke then, but his voice sounded too as if he
were distant, though his words were perfectly distinct.

"Over-excitement, isn't it, and the heat of the sun?"

Then after a very long pause Mr Frewen said--

"Perhaps, but I am beginning to be afraid. Yes, that's light, my lad,
sit down here in the shade. Take off your cap."

That lad--I did not know who it was then--sat down on the bottom of a
tub, and leaned his head