Sail Ho! Part 7

"Now, captain, don't, pray," cried the invalid.

"All right, then, I won't. Look here, then. If it gets too rough, come into my cabin and have a cigar and a chat. You won't mind a little smoke, my dear?"

"Oh no, Captain Berriman; not at all."

"That's right. You know where my cabin is, and don't you mind me calling you my dear. I've got three girls at home as old or older than you, and a son as big as Mr Denning."

Miss Denning smiled in his face, while I felt as if I wished he would be as fatherly with me.

"Look here," he continued, with a twinkle of the eye. "I've just had a telegram from old Neptune. He says the gale's pretty well over, and he's going to give us some fine weather now. He was obliged to blow up a bit because the waves were getting sulky and idle, and the winds were all gone to sleep."

It did not seem like the same man who was so fierce with the sailor a short time before.

"And look here, Mr Denning," he continued, turning back after taking a few steps toward the man at the wheel; "you're quite right, sir; pitch the doctor overboard, and I'll prescribe for you. I've got a bottle or two of prime port wine and burgundy on board,--you understand? And as soon as the weather mends you must try some fishing; I dare say I can fit you up, and young Dale here will lend a hand."

"Oh yes," I said eagerly.

"And don't know anything about it, eh?"

I stared at him in surprise.

"Why, I've fished at sea hundreds of times, sir," I said. "Whiffing, long line, trot, and bulter; and we used to go out to the rocks off Falmouth to set small trammels."

"Why, you're quite a sailor, Dale," said the captain. "All right, my lad, you'll do."

"I like Captain Berriman, Lena," said Mr Denning, thoughtfully; "but I will not have that doctor always hanging about my chair."

I saw Miss Denning look sadly at me and colour a little as she glanced back at her brother, who nodded sharply and turned to me, and changed the conversation. "Were you on deck when there was that disturbance?"

"Yes."

"The captain knocked the man down, didn't he?"

"Yes; sent him sprawling upon the deck."

I saw the young man's eyes flash, and there was a slight flush upon his sallow cheek as he laid a thin hand on my arm, and went on eagerly--

"I wish I had been on deck."

"Oh, there wasn't much to see," I said. "His cheek was cut, and bled."

"So much the better. Let Mr Frewen go and attend him. But the man was insolent, wasn't he?"

"Very, I believe; and Captain Berriman said he would have proper discipline in his ship."

"Yes, of course. I should have liked to see the captain knock him down.

Perhaps it will make him spiteful."

I looked at him wonderingly, and he smiled.

"Well, why shouldn't I?" he said. "One likes to see a few exciting scenes now and then. Life is so dull."

He was holding on by the arms of the chair, for the ship rose and fell, and rolled a good deal in the short, choppy sea; but he seemed to like it, and as his sister stood with her hands resting on the back of the chair, balancing herself and yielding to the motion of the ship, her eyes brightened, and she gazed away over the foaming sea, where the sun had come through the clouds, and made the spray sparkle like diamonds as the waves curled over and broke.

They neither of them spoke to me, and I walked slowly away to see that the captain had raised his hand.

"You can spend a little time with the sick pa.s.senger, Dale," he said; "I mean when he wants you. Poor fellow, I'm afraid he's in a bad way."

He walked back toward the group by the mizzen as he spoke, and then as we drew near he changed the conversation.

"Look here, Dale," he said; "you'd better go down and pull your messmate out of his bunk by the hind leg. Time he was on deck now. And look here, go and see how that Mr Preddle is. He's keeping below, too, when a touch of this brisk breeze would set him up. Go down, and tell him the fish are fighting--ah, fighting--that will be more like the truth.

They're sure to fight. That will bring him on deck."

"Shall I, sir?"

"Yes; off with you."

As I started I saw that Mr Denning was frowning, and that his sister looked troubled. But it was only a momentary glance, and a minute or two later I approached the door of Mr Preddle's cabin and knocked.

There was a groan, and in spite of its pitiful nature I could not help smiling, and I knocked again.

"Come in," I heard in quite a squeak; and then as I opened the door--"Is that Doctor Frewen?"

"No, sir," I replied. "I've come to ask you to get up and come on deck."

"On deck! Is there any danger?"

The speaker raised himself upon his elbow, and looked at me eagerly.

"Oh no," I replied; "the sea's going down, and the captain thinks an hour or two on deck would do you good."

"Too ill, too much prostrated," sighed the great fellow, who lay, as I thought, like a sick elephant, when he had dropped back on to the pillow.

"Captain Berriman said something about seeing to your fish, sir."

"My fish! Ah, yes; you shall look at them for me."

"But it really is nice and fresh on deck, sir."

"Yes, for you."

"And it seems to be doing Mr Denning and his sister ever so much good."

Mr Preddle rose suddenly to his elbow.

"Miss--They are not on deck?" he said eagerly. "What, Mr and Miss Denning?"

"Yes," I said, looking at him wonderingly, for he appeared to be so excited. "Oh yes; he's sitting up there, looking at the sea, and his sister's standing by his chair."