ay aft, but this time stealthily. I fancied I saw Ali leading them
through the gloom of night, whilst the captain was unconscious of their
approach, gazing over the taffrail, as if watching some object astern.
I tried to warn him, but could not make my voice heard. Ali was close
to him, with his kriss ready to strike, when I heard the watch below
called.

In a moment I was awake. My dream was at an end. I dressed as usual
for the morning work of washing down decks, and in another minute was
paddling about with my bare feet on the planks, among idlers
holy-stoning, and topmen dashing buckets of water here and there on
every side, often into the face of some unhappy wight to whom they owed
a grudge. The wind did not increase, but there was sufficient sea on to
keep many of the passengers below. Mrs Davenport, however, with Emily
and Grace, came on deck. They required, however, assistance to move
about, which I and the third mate, and a young civilian going out to
Singapore, had the satisfaction of rendering them. Emily and Grace sat
watching the high, tossing, foaming seas with delight.

"How grand!" exclaimed Emily. "I quite envy the huge fish which can
swim about unconcerned in these tumbling waves, or the sea-fowl which
fly over them from ridge to ridge bathing in the spray."

Grace admired the masses of white foam which flew off from the summits
of the seas as they rolled grandly by. Mr Hooker was the merriest of
the party, and seemed well pleased with the delight the girls exhibited
at the new aspect the ocean had put on. He only regretted that he could
not read as much as usual, as he was tempted, like them, to remain on
deck and observe it.

I had not forgotten what I had heard from Potto Jumbo about Ali and his
companions. I observed them on deck going about their duty as quietly
and orderly as any one. Mr Thudicumb had not again alluded to the
subject, and I could not tell whether or not he had informed the
captain. I could not, however, help suspecting that Ali had seen Potto
speaking to me, and that he might therefore be acting as he was doing
for the purpose of throwing us off our guard. I resolved to mention my
suspicion to Mr Thudicumb as soon as I had an opportunity, and in the
meantime to watch Ali, and try to find out what he was about. I had no
opportunity of speaking, unobserved, to the black cook; for whenever I
went forward either Ali himself, or one of the Lascars, were near the
c