'ere craft, besides fishing?"

"No; there is nothing to do now."

"Wha-a-at!"

"You know I spoke about them before. It is to amuse the sick middy."

"Yah!" came in a deep growl. "Why didn't you say so before? Poor boy!
He did get it hot that time."

"Yes," said Poole maliciously, "and I believe it was you who knocked him
down."

The grim-looking, red-faced boatswain stared at the speaker with his
mouth wide open.

"Me?" he said. "Me? Why, I was alongside the chap at the wheel."

"Were you?" said Poole, grinning to himself at the effect of his words.
"Then it couldn't have been you, Butters. Come on and get me the line."

"Gammon!" growled the boatswain. "You knew it warn't all the time.
Come on."

He led the way to his locker and took out a couple of square reel-frames
with their cord, hooks, and sinkers complete.

"Ketch hold," he said gruffly, and then giving Poole a tin box which
rattled loudly, he growled out, "Plenty of spare hooks in there. But
don't lose more than you can help. Where are you going to fish? Off
the taffrail?"

"No; out of the stern-window."

"What! How are you going to haul in your fish?"

"Oh, I don't know."

"See what a mess you'll make, my lad."

"I'll clean up afterwards," said Poole.

"I don't believe you will get any. If you hook one you'll knock it off
in pulling it in. Why don't you bring the poor lad up on deck and let
him fish like a human being, not keep him cuddled up below there like a
great gal?"

"But he's so weak, he can hardly stand."

"Set him down, then, in a cheer. Do him good, and he'll like it all the
more."

"Well, I never thought of that," said Poole eagerly. "I will. But oh,
I mustn't forget the bait. I must go and see the Camel."

"Nonsense! Bait with a lask cut off from the first fish you catch."

"Of course," cried Poole; "but how am I to catch that first one first?"

"'M, yes," said the boatswain, with a grim smile. "Tell you what; go
and ask the Camel to give you a nice long strip of salt pork, fat and
rind."

"Ah, that would do," cried Poole; and he hurried off to the galley,
where he was welcomed by the cook with a nod and wink, as he drew a
little stew-pan forward on the hot plate, and lifted the lid.

"Joost cast your nose over that, laddie," he whispered mysteriously.

"Eh? What for?"

"It's the middy laddie's soup fresh made, joost luvely."

"Oh yes, splendid," said the lad, and he hurriedly stated his wa