Hunting the Skipper Part 35

"Make a nice change for the table, sir. The cook said--"

"Hang the cook!" cried the officer angrily. "What are you laughing at?"

"Only smiling, sir."

"And pray what at? Is there anything peculiar in my face?"

"No, sir," said Murray merrily. "I was only thinking of the consequences if we two obeyed your orders."

"Orders! I gave no orders."

"You said, hang the cook, sir," said Murray.

"Rubbish! Absurd! There, I told you both to be off. I'm not going to give you leave to play idle boys. If you want leave, there's the captain yonder; go and ask him."

"He'd only say, sir, why didn't we ask leave of you."

"And very proper too," said the first lieutenant, "and if he does say so you can tell him I would not give you leave because I thought it waste of time for young men who want to rise in their profession. What was that you muttered, Mr Murray?"

"I only said to myself, sir, 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.'"

"Yes; very true, my lad," said the officer, with a grim smile. "I'm not unreasonable, and I'd give you leave; but perhaps you had better ask your chief."

"Thank you, sir," said Murray.

"And look here, Murray; if you get permission, be careful. I don't want the routine of the ship to be interfered with and my men set hovering about to pick up a couple of useless idlers, and every one upset by the cry of a man overboard--I mean, a boy."

"I'll try not to be that boy," said Murray, smiling; and the chief officer gave him a friendly nod and walked forward.

"Bah!" grumbled Roberts. "There's favouritism."

"Nonsense!"

"'Tisn't. He always favours you."

"Not he."

"To turn upon us like that just because it's almost a calm! A growling old snarly! I never saw such a temper. Now he has gone forward to set the men to do something that doesn't want doing."

"He's a bit out of temper this morning because the skipper has been at him about something."

"Yes; I heard him at it. Nice pair they are, and a pretty life they lead the men!"

"Oh, well, never mind that. Tom May has got the grains and the line ready, and I want to begin."

"A boy! Apeing a man, and all that stuff!" muttered Roberts. "I suppose he never was a boy in his life."

"Oh, wasn't he! There, never mind all that."

"But I do mind it, sir," said Roberts haughtily, as he involuntarily began to pa.s.s his fingers over the spot just beneath his temples where the whisker down was singed. "I consider that his words were a perfect insult."

"Perfect or imperfect, what does it matter? Come on, _sir_. I want to begin harpooning."

"What do you mean by that?" cried Roberts, turning upon him angrily.

"What do I mean?"

"Yes; by using the word _sir_ to me in that meaning way."

"You got on the stilts, and I only followed suit. There, there, don't be so touchy. Go on and ask the skipper for leave."

"No, thank you. I don't want to play the idle boy."

"Don't you? Then I do, and what's more, I know you do."

"Then you are quite wrong."

"If I'm wrong you told a regular crammer not half-an-hour ago, for you said you'd give anything for a turn with the grains this morning."

"I have no recollection of saying anything of the kind," said the lad angrily.

"What a memory! I certainly thought I heard you say so to Tom May; and there he is with the line and the jolly old trident all ready. There, come on and let's ask the chief."

"If you want to go idling, go and ask him for yourself. I'm going down to our dog-hole of a place to study navigation in the dark."

"Don't believe you, d.i.c.ky."

"You can believe what you please, sir," said Roberts coldly.

"All right. I'm off, and I shall ask leave for us both."

"You dare! I forbid it," cried Roberts angrily.

"All right," said Murray, turning on his heel, "but I shall ask for us both, and if you mean to forbid it you'd better come with me to the skipper."

Murray waited a few moments, standing watching the captain where he was marching up and down the quarter-deck, and timing himself so as to meet him full as he walked forward.

Roberts hesitated for a few moments and then followed closely, looking fiercely determined the while.

"Well, Mr Murray," said the captain sharply, as he became aware of the presence of the lad, who touched his cap. "What is it--a pet.i.tion?"

"Yes, sir. A good many bonito are playing about the bows."

"Yes; I saw them, my lad. Want to go fishing--harpooning?"

"Yes, sir. Roberts and I."

"Oh yes, of course, my lad. A good time for it, and I shall expect a nice dish for the cabin table. But look here, Mr Murray, I like to keep to the little forms of the service, and in cases of this sort you had better ask Mr Anderson for leave. You understand?"