Part 62 (1/2)
”Very bad?” Mark heard the first lieutenant whisper
”Bad enough,” replied the doctor ”Fracture, with a piece of bone resting upon the brain We erous?”
”Pretty well”
”Fatal?”
”In some hands,” said the doctor, importantly, ”but we shall see”
Mark could hardly believe it true an hour later when he was lying in a comfortable cot on board the _Nautilus_, with cool applications to his face and head, and aTom Fillot The captain had been to see hi hi the two schooners, the second, with Dance and Grote on board, being now only a few cables' lengths away
”We found you did not put in an appearance, Mr Vandean, so we sailed south in search of you, and a pretty dance you have led us But you have behaved uncommonly well, et a chance, Bob Howlett paid the patient a visit, and reported that the doctor had performed an operation upon Mr Russell's head, and said that he had borne it very well
”What an unlucky fellow he is,” Mark cried, as he lay there in perfect peace now that he was relieved of his responsibility, and could rest
”Not half such an unlucky beggar as sorumbled Bob
”Oh, you mean me,” said Mark, quietly
”That I don't,” cried Bob ”I call you lucky”
”Me?”
”Yes; look at the fun you've had all to yourself A regular cruise”
”Fun?”
”Yes, fun Captain of the schooner; capturing another; complimented by the skipper; praised by old hooks and staples; and of course, just when I thought I was going to distinguish ed down into that dark cabin and made sure I'd captured the skipper at the point of my sword--”
”Dirk,” said Mark
”Well, dirk, if you like--of course it ”
”Nonsense!”
”It is, I say,” cried Bob, angrily ”You get all the fat and gravy of life And now you're as good as wounded, and you'll be named in the skipper's despatch, and--but oh, what a lark!” cried Bob, bursting into a roar of laughter ”What a jolly old fifth of Noveuy you do look!”