sation in
the East, made themselves seen and heard, to complete the picture and
make the contrast the more striking.

"Tom," said Charley presently, after the two had remained silent for
some time, still standing in the shade of the awning aft, that protected
them from the burning heat of the sun, which was at its most potent
point, it being just mid-day.

"Yes," said the other grumpily, as if disinclined even for conversation.

"It has just gone eight bells."

"Can't I hear as well as you, Charley? What's the use of bothering a
fellow? Do leave me alone."

"I only wanted to say, Tom, that the skipper said we might go ashore
this afternoon if we liked, as soon as the second mate came on board;
and there he is coming off in the jolly-boat now."

"I don't care whether Tompkins comes off or not," replied Tom Aldridge
in the same peevish tone as he had spoken at first. "What's the good of
going ashore?"

"Oh, lots of good," said Charley Onslow more cheerily. "Better than
stopping here cooped-up like a fowl and being grilled in the sun."

"Well, I can't see the difference between getting roasted ashore and
roasted on board, for my part," retorted Tom. "It's six of one and
half-a-dozen of the other."

"You lazy duffer!" said Charley laughing; "you are incorrigible. But do
come along with me, Tom. We haven't landed now for two days, and I
can't stand the _Muscadine_ any longer."

"I suppose you'll have your way, as you always do," grumbled the other,
turning away at last from his listless contemplation of the prospect
with which he had owned himself so disgusted. "I don't know how it is,
Charley, but you seem to manage me and everybody here just as you like;
you can come round the skipper even, when you set your mind to it, and
that is what no one else can do!"

"You forget Mr Tompkins."

"I don't count him at all," said Tom Aldridge indignantly. "He's a
sneak, and gets his way by wheedling and shoe-scraping! But you,
Charley, go to work in quite a different fashion. Why, I'm hanged if
you don't cheek a fellow when you want to get something out of him.
It's your Irish impudence that does it, my boy, I expect."

"Sure, an' it's a way we have in the ould counthry," said Charley,
putting on the brogue so easily that it seemed natural to him--which
indeed it was, as he was born not twenty miles from Cork, in the
neighbourhood of which is situated the far-famed "Blarney stone," that
is supposed to endow