Hunting the Skipper Part 40

"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 thrashing 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."

These words wrought a complete change, for to Murray's surprise the agitated lad slipped his wrist free, and brought his hand down firmly upon that of his companion, to close it in a firm grip.

"Here, Frank," he whispered, "don't take any notice of what I said. I couldn't help it. I don't know what has come to me. I must be like the fellow you were talking about, and if the doctor knows, I feel--I'm sure that I shall be much worse."

"Hist! Keep quiet. Let's be looking at the fish. Look at that."

He pointed downward through the clear water, and making an effort Roberts leaned over the rail.

"Yes; I see," he said huskily. "A shark, sure enough."

"Yes; only a little one, though," said Murray aloud. "I say, isn't it curious how those brutes can keep themselves just at a certain depth below the keel, and go on swimming easily at just the same rate as we are going, without seeming to make any effort!"

"Yes, very strange; very, very strange," said Roberts loudly, and with his voice sounding husky and faint. "Hah!" he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed, at last, in a tone of relief. "He's not coming here." For the doctor had suddenly caught sight of t.i.tely and crossed the deck to speak to the man.

"No, he's not coming here," said Murray quietly.

"I oughtn't to be afraid to meet the old fellow, though, Frank," said Roberts, with a sigh, "for I must be ill to turn like that."

"Not ill, old chap," said Murray quietly. "Come on down below."

"Then you think I'm bad?" whispered the midshipman, turning upon his companion sharply.

"Not bad, but upset by the accident."

"And nearly losing my life," whispered Roberts.

"Yes, that's it. Come down and take off your jacket."

"Not to fight," said the lad bitterly. "Oh, Franky! And after you had just saved my life! I must have been half mad, old chap."

"Bah! Drop it, d.i.c.k," said Murray quietly. "You come down, and turn into your berth."

"Yes; for a good nap."

"That's right, old chap. Have a good snooze if you can; but don't mind if you can't get to sleep. I'll open the port-hole as wide as possible so as to get as much cool air as I can into the place. All you want is rest. You don't want the doctor."

"No; that's right; I don't want the doctor." And then, eagerly taking his companion's arm, the lad permitted himself to be led below, where he threw off his jacket and turned into his cot with a sigh of relief.

"Ah," he said, "that's better! Never mind me now. Go up on deck, and if any one asks about me say I'm having a sleep after the ducking."

"All right," replied Murray, and he saw in the semi-darkness that the middy had closed his eyes tightly but seemed to have to make an effort to keep the quivering and twitching lids still.

"I say, Franky," came from the cot, after a short pause.

"Well?"

"You're not gone on deck."

"No, not yet. Come, off you go. Like a gla.s.s of water?"