Part 30 (2/2)
”Well, of all the pot calling kettle black as ever I knowed on,” said Tom Fillot, ”that's about the ruly turmut, and your eyes is on'y two slits”
”We ain't none on us got much to boast on, 'cept our orficer,” said dick Bannock ”Pass that there tin”
”To be sure,” said Toht be a deal worse off, mates Drink away; the ot plenty o' water Different to being right out at sea in a calm, eh, Mr Vandean, sir?”
”Don't talk about it,up Pray don't let hiain”
For the coxswain suddenly sat up and stared about hi down, he cried,--
”Got a drink o' water,the tin ”How's your head this ?”
”Bit achey,” said the coxswain, who took the tin and drained it
”Hah!” he ejaculated, as he drew a long, deep breath, ”that's good, but you forgot to send it through the skipper's pilfer”
”Warn't ti hiood for you”
”Feel better this , Dance?” said Mark
”Yes, sir, thankye sir Head aches a deal and feels muzzy like, and I didn't sleep quite as I should like Too much bad dream to pleaseyour head rubbed so hard with a big bat ain't good for no one”
Mark sat by his brother officer in the co to think out so in the shade, and the agonies of thirst were assuaged, he knew that it would not be long before they were all suffering froht of the tales he had heard respecting the straitsfor want of food in an open boat
But though he thought long and patiently, no idea ca till they cah he felt very little hope of ood fortune upon that sparsely inhabited shore Further north there were towns and villages, but these were hundreds ofa native village, the home of some black chief, if they proceeded up the river; but it was chance work, and, unless co hi seen by the _Nautilus_ if she ca the shore
And now he blanorance For if he had devoted a little tie of the coast, and the chance of finding so settlement north or south; while now, as he told himself, here he was in command of a boat, and, boy as he was, answerable to his superior officer for the lives of the men Accident had placed him in his present position, but then officers had, as he knew, to be prepared for such eree
He made a vow to ain, and began once more to examine Mr Russell's state
The insensibility continued still, and the faint hope he had nursed of the lieutenant recovering sufficiently to relieve him of his responsibility died away, so he landed with Fillot and began to look about him
The place he had selected at the river's mouth, for the sake of the shade and water, was hidden fro, but it was so suited for their purpose that he felt it would be unwise to change it, as they could row out if a vessel hove in sight, and a good watch would be kept Anything was better than exposing thesun, weak as they ith their injuries, and he felt that such a course would be fatal to Mr Russell, so he determined to stay, at all events till the heat of the day had passed, and then make the men row steadily north
He had just coht of To of the boat's painter
”What's that for, Fillot?” he asked, sharply
”Well, sir, I couldn't see no fruit trees nor no fields o' corn ashore, so I thought the best thing to do would be to have a try at ketching a fish”
CHAPTER TWENTY
WHAT MARK SAID TO THE CREW