Part 40 (1/2)

”No,” said Murray, smiling, as he watched his companion intently, ”but that wasn't the curious part.”

”Well, then, what was? Oh, I say, I do wish you wouldn't keep on prosing about what n.o.body wants to hear. There, go on and get it finished.”

”All right; don't hurry a fellow,” said Murray. ”I can't dash off things as quickly as you can.”

Roberts wrenched himself round so that he could look fiercely at his companion, and he spoke with quite an angry snap.

”Is that meant for a sneer?” he said.

”No, my son; not a bit of it, unless it contains just a go at myself for being so slow.”

”Ho!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Roberts. ”Well, what's the curious thing about your chap who had been nearly drowned?”

”They brought him to--” said Murray deliberately.

Roberts gave himself an angry jerk and reached out his hand to s.n.a.t.c.h at a marlin-spike stuck just beneath the rail.

”What's the matter now?” asked Murray.

”You'll know directly if you don't finish your twaddling stuff. You told me all that before,” cried the lad irritably.

”Did I? Well, you keep on interrupting me so.”

”There, go on.”

”All right,” continued Murray, in the most imperturbable way. ”Well, as I was saying, that when they brought the poor fellow round--”

”Bravo, oh prince of story-tellers!” cried Roberts sneeringly. ”They brought him round, did they? I wonder he didn't stop drowned if he was surrounded by people who kept on prosing like you are.”

”Well, he didn't,” said Murray coolly; ”they brought him round.”

”Here, Frank, old chap,” cried Roberts, with mock interest, ”it's as well to be quite certain when you are making history--are you sure that they didn't bring him square?”

”Oh yes, quite,” said Murray quietly; ”they brought him round, and it was remarkable what an effect it had upon his temper.”

Roberts turned upon him again quite fiercely.

”He seemed to have turned acid right through, and snapped and snarled at those about him; and then--”

”Now, look here, young fellow,” cried Roberts, interrupting his companion, ”I'm not all a fool, Frank Murray, and I can see quite plainly enough that this is all meant for a go at me. Do you mean to tell me that I have turned upon every one to snap and snarl at them?

Because if you do, say so like a man.”

”Well, old chap--” began Murray, smiling.

”Oh, you do, do you? You've made up your mind to quarrel with me, have you? Very well, sir. I don't want to be on good terms with a fellow who, in spite of the way in which I have made myself his friend ever since he joined, is determined to--determined to--Here, this is beyond bearing, sir. We're too big now to settle our quarrels, like a couple of schoolboys, with our fists, but the wretched state in which we are compelled to exist by the captain's absurd prejudices against settling a dispute in a gentlemanly way compels one to put off all consideration of age and position; so come down below. We can easily get to where the men will take care that we are not interrupted by the officers; and if I don't give you the biggest thras.h.i.+ng you ever had, it's because I am weak from the effects of that accident and being dragged under water for so long. Now then, come on, and--don't irritate me any more by grinning in that absurd way, or I shall strike you before you put up your hands on guard, and then--”

The lad, who was gazing wildly at his companion, stopped short, for, half startled now by his brother middy's manner, Murray had laid his hand upon his arm.

”Steady, d.i.c.k,” he said quietly. ”You're not yourself, old chap. I didn't mean to irritate you. Don't go on like that; here's the doctor coming forward, and I don't want him to come and see you now.”