Part 42 (1/2)

”Can you see them?”

”Only three of them, sir,” I replied. ”Now another is out of sight.”

”Then, as soon as they are all invisible, you can come down,” cried Mr Reardon.

”Yes, sir; all out of sight now.”

”Then come down.”

”Thankye for nothing,” I muttered; and then aloud, ”Yes, sir;” and I closed my gla.s.s, and wiped my wet forehead, feeling stiff and sore, as if I had been exerting myself with all my might.

”I suppose I'm very stupid,” I said to myself, as I began to descend slowly, ”but I did try my best. What a height it seems up here! If a fellow slipped and fell, he would never have another hour up at the mast-head.”

I went on downward, with my legs feeling more and more stiff, and a sense of heavy weariness growing upon me. My head ached too, and I felt a pain at the back of my neck, while mentally I was as miserable and dissatisfied as ever I remember being in my life.

”I hope he'll send old Barkins up next time,” I thought. ”He wouldn't feel so precious jealous then. Nice job, squinting through that gla.s.s till one's almost blind, and nothing but bullying for the result.”

It seemed to be a very long way down to the deck, but I reached the remaining few rattlins at last, and I was nearly down to the bulwarks, meaning to go below and bathe my head, if I could leave the deck, when I was stopped short, just in my most gloomy and despondent moments, by the captain's voice, his words sounding so strange that I could hardly believe my ears.

For, as I held on to the shrouds, and looked sharply aft at the mention of my name, he said--

”Thank you, Mr Herrick; very good indeed;” while, as I reached the deck, Mr Reardon came up--

”Yes, capital, Mr Herrick. A very arduous task, and you have done it well.”

CHAPTER TWENTY.

AFTER THE FIGHT.

”Bravo, Gnat! Well done, little 'un!” whispered Barkins the next minute, as I walked aft, feeling quite confused, while my headache and sensation of misery pa.s.sed off as if by magic. ”Blacksmith would have done it better, of course; wouldn't you, Smithy?”

”Done it as well as you would,” said my messmate sulkily; and there was a heavy frown on his brow; but, as he met my eyes, it cleared off, and he smiled frankly. ”I say: Well done our side!” he whispered. ”What would they do without mids.h.i.+pmen!”

”I say, though,” said Barkins, ”we've given John Pirate another dressing-down; but what about the plunder?”

”Ah, of course,” said Smith. ”Junks both burned, and no swag. What about our prize-money? Eh, Gnat?”

”I wasn't thinking about that, but about our poor lads. They must have had a sharp fight. I hope no one is hurt.”

My companion were silent for a moment or two. Then Barkins said quietly--

”I thought it would be only the teapots that were broken. Think our chaps were hurt? You couldn't see?”

”I could see that there was a big fight going on; and look here!”

I nodded in the direction of one of the companion-ways, from which the doctor suddenly appeared with his gla.s.ses on, and an eager, expectant look in his eyes as he bustled up to us.

”I'm all ready,” he said. ”Boats in sight yet?” I shuddered, and I noticed that Smith looked white. ”Well, why don't you answer? What's the matter, my lads? Oh, I see.” He laughed.