Part 11 (1/2)

”Wasn't going to, my lad”

Mark heard those words spoken by familiar voices, but why or about whom he could not tell All he kneas that he was aboard shi+p, with the warh the port, and the water was splashi+ng and slapping against the side

Then there was a good deal of buzzing conversation carried on, and the voices all sounded farew more distant, and next all was dark and cohly enjoying a good sleep

Then, unknown to hiain, and lay and listened to so a noise--that is to say, the person who , but Mark Vandean did not believe anything of the kind, and lay quite still, and laughed gently as fro buzz, with the faintest suggestion of a tune--

”And we jolly sailor boys were up, up aloft, And the landlubbers lying down below, below, below, And the landlubbers lying down below”

Then there was a pause, and the scratching of a pen as if soain, and Mark, as he lay in his cot, chuckled; but though he did not know it, his silent laugh was in a feeble way

At last he spoke ”What's the'un?”

There was a quick ht was shut out by Bob Howlett, who rushed to his side and caught hi thebetter, then?”

”Better? Have I been ill?”

”Ill? Oh, I suppose you can't call it being ill, because it wasn't Huht you were going to die, old chap, or do so I say, how do you feel?”

”All right, only I thought you had so theso when I woke up”

”Groaning? Why, I was singing,” cried Bob, indignantly

”Oh, were you? I shouldn't have known if you hadn't toldany more if I were you, Bob It isn't in your way”

”Get out! Sing as well as you can There, don't lie sha sick any in chaffing”

”But have I been ill? Why, my voice sounds queer, doesn't it?”

”Queer? It sounds just like a penny whistle, whiletrombone”

”What?”

”Oh, never mind about that, old chap We'll soon feed you up, old Whitney and I Make you strong as a horse again Van, old cockaloruht, Bob Howlett executed a kind of triu with a stamp

”Don't be an idiot, Bob,” said Mark, feebly ”Come close here I want to knohat's been the ht, and was I wounded?”

”No!” cried Bob ”Why, what an old stuffy head you are Don't you understand? Can't you recollect?”

”Recollect what?”

”The going off in the first cutter with poor old Russell to pick up that nigger?”

”No,” said Mark, dreamily ”I don't recollect any--Yes I do, and we found hi with my head? I can't think properly”