Part 19 (1/2)

”Why, I was taking my trick at the wheel, your honour,” cried Torowled Dance; ”so you was There, your honour,”

he continued, turning to the captain, ”you see how dark it were”

”Try again, sir,” said the captain, sternly

”dick Bannock,” said Dance

”Which I were o' dooty in my watch, mate,” cried the man

”Ay, so you was, messmet No, your honour, it were too dark P'r'aps,”

he added, cunningly, ”one o' the blacks knows”

Here there was a murmur

”Silence!” cried the captain, sternly ”I'ainst you, Dance, when the time comes for promotion It is very plain, sir, that you do know, and will not speak

Hark here,to pass this over I cannot punish two ignorant, half-savagea cruel attack upon them--cruel and cowardly Go belo, and show me in the future that you have too ain Let the two blacks step out”

Efforts were made to induce the two Africans to advance, but without avail

”Now, are thoseaft?” said the captain, sternly; but there was only a buzzing sound below, and so pardon, sir; they don't understand,” said Bob Howlett ”They'd coo down and send them aft--or no,” said the captain, impatiently

”I want them to understand that they are pardoned, but that there h, Mr Staples Pipe the men below”

”And that's an end of it,” whispered Bob Howlett, as soon as the captain was out of hearing ”I say, Van, wasn't old Joe Dance a trump?”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

THE ENEMY ONCE MORE

”All this ti here and there,” said Mark one day, ”and not done a bit of good”

”Do you hear that, Mr Whitney?” cried Bob ”There's gratitude, when it has been just as if ere under orders to keep at sea so as to get hiain; and look at 'em now Why, it has quite cured 'e, Mr Bob Howlett?”

”Oh, I didn'ta little ”Of course you have done theood, sir, and--”

”There, you are only floundering about, young gentleruffly

”Wait a bit; you will be laid by the heels one of these days, and then you will sing a very different song But you are a wonderful deal better, Vandean, and I congratulate you I shall not have to ask for you to be sent home”

”Oh yes, I'm much better, sir,” cried Mark

”Well, don't talk as if you were afraid I was going to order you pills and draught I've done with you, but you had better be careful Mr Russell can go on without me now As for Mr Howlett here--well, we'll wait for that”