e revived me. Every hour I felt myself growing stronger and
better. I looked round for Iffley. I had a nervous dread of meeting
him, and yet I felt anxious to ascertain that he was on board.

A person may be on board a big ship like the _Albion_ for several days
without meeting another, provided they are not on duty together. Such
was my case. I had been for two days on deck, an hour or so at a time,
without seeing the man who had proved himself so bitterly my enemy. The
doctor told me he thought that in a day or two more I might go to my
duty, and that I should be the better for having work to do. I looked
forward to work with satisfaction, and begged that I might as soon as
possible be struck off the sick list. He told me that I should be so on
the following day, and that he would speak to the first lieutenant about
me, as he was a very kind man, and would see that I was not sent aloft
till I had sufficiently recovered my strength. I thanked him with a
hearty blessing for his kindness and consideration.

The very first man on whom my eyes rested when I went on deck returned
fit for duty was Charles Iffley. He was going along the deck with his
cat-o'-nine-tails in his hand. I knew by this that he still held only
the rating of boatswain's mate on board. My heart turned sick at the
sight; in a moment my vivid imagination pictured all I might have to
suffer at his hands.

He saw me, but pretended not to know me, and went on his way as if I was
a stranger. I was immediately sent for aft, and found that I had been
entered in the ship's books as an able seaman and a deserter from his
Majesty's ship the _Brilliant_.

"What have you to say to this, my man?" said the captain, looking
sternly at me.

"That I am not a deserter, sir," I answered in a firm voice; and I then
gave him a clear and succinct account of the cutting-out expedition in
Santa Cruz harbour, in which I had been engaged, and the way in which my
life had been preserved on that occasion.

The captain, after a moment's consideration, sent a midshipman down into
his cabin for a printed book. When it was brought to him he turned over
the pages and asked me a few more questions. "I find that your account
agrees exactly with the description I here have of the affair, and I
believe you."

I saw Dr McCall, who came up at the moment and heard the captain's
words, look evidently pleased. They exchanged glances, I thought. At
all events, I fancied