back against the bulwarks for the soft breeze
to play through his hair; and very pleasant and dreamy and restful it
all was for him, whoever he was, while I listened, too, to what was
going on.

A great deal appeared to be going on about me just then, and I quite
enjoyed it, and somehow it was as if everything was surrounded by
beautiful colours. Mr Brymer came and went just as if I were seeing
him through a cut-glass decanter-stopper, but he was not half so
striking as Mr Preddle, who came and stood over me looking gigantic,
but his face and even his clothes were prismatic. So was the air, which
now began to descend rapidly, as if it were some brilliant waterfall
coming down from the clouds.

"Will you fetch me a cane seat off the poop?"

"Ay, ay, sir."

It was Mr Preddle's highly-pitched voice which I heard, and it was the
sailor who had sat talking to the steersman who answered, and soon after
I heard the chair squeak very loudly, as big Mr Preddle, looking as
large as an elephant now, sat down by the boy on the tub, and leaned his
head back against the bulwarks.

He talked to him about the fish, and said that the hot weather did not
agree with them, and that he was afraid that kangaroo-tail was too rich
a dish to agree with them, for it was indigestible, and made people
drowsy.

The boy did not make any answer, but sat staring at Mr Preddle
sidewise, wondering why the big stout naturalist also should keep on
going and coming in that telescopic fashion, which was so puzzling to me
as well as to that boy, who was, however, exceedingly stupid, for he did
not say a word, but only stared with his mouth half open.

Then I was listening to Mr Brymer, who was talking anxiously to the
doctor, as they stood watching the forecastle-hatch, from which came a
deliciously sweet chorus, and I knew why it sounded so pleasant--it was
because the men were so far away in the bows, for the Burgh Castle grew
longer and longer, till the bowsprit seemed as if it were miles away,
but with every rope and block as distinctly seen as if it were still
close to me.

"Well, my lad, how are you?" said Mr Frewen just then; but the boy
leaning back against the bulwark only stared at him, and I felt ready to
kick him for being so rude, and then I wanted to punch Mr Preddle, for
he began to snore abominably.

"I don't like it, Frewen," said somebody just then. "What do you say?
You don't think it possible that--"

He did not finish sp