n the open sea. I shall see your father myself. Why
didn't he come on deck yesterday?"

"Because he isn't well. He's got a touch of fever too. He had got the
bottle out of the medicine-chest, and was taking a dose when I went into
his cabin."

"What!" cried Fitz. "Then he's caught the fever too?"

"Oh no; he caught it years ago, on the Mosquito Coast, and now and then
when we get in for a change of weather like we have just had, it breaks
out again and he's very ill for a few days; but he soon comes round."

"But I was never on the Mosquito Coast," cried Fitz impatiently. "I
never caught a fever there, and I couldn't catch one like that of your
father."

"No," said Poole; "father was talking about it, and he said yours was a
touch due to your being susceptible after being so much hurt. That's
how he said it was. Now then, come down to the cabin and take your
physic like a good boy."

"I am not going to do anything of the sort," said Fitz shortly. "I took
plenty while I was ill and weak, and you could do what you liked with
me. But I am strong enough now, and if what I feel is due to the
weather, when it changes the trouble will soon go off."

"I dare say it will," said Poole, laughing; "but you needn't make a fuss
about swallowing this little scrap of bitter powder. Come on and take
it like a man."

"Don't bother," said Fitz shortly, and he walked away right into the
bows, climbed out on to the bowsprit, and sat down to think.

"He's a rum chap," said Poole, as he stood watching him, and putting the
powder back into his pocket. "He makes me feel as if I liked and could
do anything for him sometimes, and then when he turns cocky I begin to
want to punch his head."

Poole turned and went down into the cabin, where his father was lying in
his berth looking flushed and weary, and evidently suffering a good
deal.

"Well, boy," said the skipper; "did he take his dose?"

"No, father. He's ready to kick against everything now."

"Well," said the skipper shortly, "let him kick."

Fitz was already kicking as he sat astride the bowsprit, looking out to
sea and talking excitedly to himself.

"Yes," he said, "I like them, and we have got to be very good friends;
but I have got my duty to do as a Queen's officer, and do it I will.
Why, it's the very chance. Like what people call a fatality. That's
right, I think. Just as if it were made on purpose. Of course I know
that I am only a boy--well, a goo