laid his hand upon
his patient's forehead.

"It is a dreadful tax upon his already exhausted strength," said the
medico, "but I believe in the present case it has done good rather than
harm. However, it will not do to risk a repetition of this sort of
thing, so I will give him a mild opiate, although I would much rather
not, in his present exhausted condition."

He leaned over the cot once more with his finger on the lad's pulse, and
gazed long and anxiously in the pale, upturned face, as though revolving
in his mind some weighty problem. Then, turning abruptly away, he left
the cabin, beckoning me to follow.

As he was mixing the draught in the dispensary, he remarked,--

"If he can only last out until we reach Barbadoes, I believe we might
save him yet; but it is this constant motion which is irritating his
wound, and sapping his life. When do you think we shall get in?"

"To-morrow morning, if the breeze holds," I replied.

"Too late, I am afraid," said my companion, shaking his head. "The
patient is in such a critical state that a few hours more or less may
make all the difference between life and death to him. However, I will
not give him up without a fight. Mr Stuart and I will watch him
through the night, and perhaps you could arrange to stay with him
through the dog-watches, could you?"

"Assuredly," I replied. "I will speak to Mr Flinn about it, and I am
sure he will excuse me."

"Very well, then; that's arranged," said the doctor. "Now run away with
that draught. If the poor boy is still agitated, give it him at once;
if not, keep it by you for the present."

I returned to the cabin, and found that little Six-foot had stopped
crying, and seemed disposed to sleep, so I put the bottle in a place of
safety, and whispered to the skipper the doctor's arrangement.

"All right," he returned. "You remain here. I must go on deck now; and
I will mention to Flinn that you will not be on deck during the dog-
watch."

He stole out on tiptoe, and I was alone with my patient. I settled
myself in a low chair near the cot, and looked out through the stern-
port. The sun was just setting, and the western sky glowed with the
same gorgeous colouring which it had worn on the evening of the funeral.
The sight reminded me of the sad incident, and I wondered whether we
were to have a sadder one yet. I sat for some time lost in mournful
thought, when there was a slight stir in the cot, and I heard little
F