The Black Bar Part 15

"Humph!" cried the captain; "not much cause for anxiety here."

"No," said the first lieutenant: "he's what the men call miching. Here, Vandean, when are you coming on deck? Can't have you lying here with half a dozen people to wait upon you."

"I don't want to, sir," said Mark, in a piping voice. "Mr Whitney knows."

"Yes, I know," said the doctor. "There," he continued, turning to the two officers; "you don't think much of your doctor, but what do you say to that?"

He patted Mark's head as he spoke.

"I believe half the surgeons in the navy would have let the poor fellows slip through their fingers. I saved them all when they were in the most hopeless state."

"Not all," said Mr Staples, with a sharp look at the captain. "What about the poor n.i.g.g.e.rs?"

"Well, I saved two of them, sir. The others were as good as dead when you called me to them. Humph! did my part better than you did yours.

Why didn't you take the schooner?"

The captain laughed.

"He has us there, Staples," he said. "Let the doctors alone; they are a bad set of people to play with. Only serve you out when you come into their hands. Don't take any notice of him, Whitney. Well, Vandean, I'm very glad to see you so cheerful, but don't presume upon it. You must take it quietly, and be patient. I want to see you on deck again."

"Quite out of the question yet," said the doctor, sharply.

"I don't mean on duty, Whitney," said the captain smiling, "but in a cane seat under the awning. It would be brighter and better for him to see the men about."

"Thank you, sir," cried Mark, with a smile full of grat.i.tude.

"Oh, that's different," said the doctor. "Well, after a few days I'll have him carried up."

"Yes," said the first lieutenant, "and he can lie there and hatch mischief along with Mr Howlett, and play with the monkey. Nice trio."

"Eh? Oh, yes, by the way, I cannot allow you young gentlemen to have pets of that cla.s.s on board my ship. You are not schoolboys now. Why, you will be wanting white mice and guinea-pigs next!"

"Shall I have the animal thrown overboard?" said Mr Staples.

"Hump! Well--er--not till Mr Vandean is better. You'd like to keep it a little longer, eh?" said the captain, turning to the young invalid.

"Very much," cried Mark, as he thought of the quaint little old man he and Bob Howlett had bought.

"Very well, you can for the present."

"And now, gentlemen," interposed the doctor, "my patient requires rest and cool air. You are fidgeting him and making the place hot."

"That means go. Well, Staples, we must give way, I suppose. The doctor is always above the admiral. Make haste and get well, Vandean.

Good-bye."

He shook hands warmly and turned to leave the cabin, the first lieutenant following his example, and turning to give the midshipman a friendly nod.

"Hah!" said the doctor, as soon as they were alone; "they want to go too fast, and undo my work. I shall not have done with you yet awhile, Vandean, and you'll have to attend very strictly to my orders if I'm to make a man of you. Did you take my medicine?"

"Yes, sir."

"Sure?"

Mark coloured.

"Yes, sir, I told you."

"c.o.c.k-a-doodle-doo!" cried the doctor. "Dear me, how b.u.mptious we are, young fellow. There, I believe you, but that's more than I'd do for some of your tribe. There's Mr Bob Howlett, for instance. If he had to take a dose, I should not only stop till he had emptied the gla.s.s, but I should pinch his nose till I was sure he had swallowed it. There, I will not give you more than is good for you, my lad. You think I'm glad to get hold of a job, and will not leave it till I'm obliged; but don't you fall into an error about that, my dear sir. I'm too fond of ease."

"I'm sure you will do the best you can for me," said Mark; "and I want to be grateful."

"Ah! Then you're an exception, my lad."

"How is Mr Russell, sir?"

"Getting on, but obstinate; wants to be well all at once, and get to his duties. I must go and see him now. Mind and take your stuff regularly.

Morning."

The cabin was empty once more, save for the patient, who uttered a sigh of relief, and lay listening to the soft _pad_, _pad_ of the sailors'

bare feet on the deck, and the voices of the officers giving their orders, all sounding pleasantly familiar as he lay back there feeling that he must be better from the interest he took in all that was going on, and the pleasant clearness of his head.

"I wonder how long it will be before they have me on deck," he said to himself.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

"SOUP" AND "TATERS."

"Hooray!" cried Bob Howlett, about a week later, as he burst into the cabin.

"What is it?" cried Mark, excitedly. "Why are they getting the anchor up?"

"Don't know. n.o.body knows but the skipper, but we're off somewhere, thank goodness, and you're to come on deck to-day, and old Russell too."

"That is good news."

"Yes, I shall have you all right now, in no time, getting the breeze away from this dismal sh.o.r.e. Here, I've told your lady's-maid--

"Hoozoar we're off to sea--he--he, Hoozoar we're off to sea."

Mark thrust his fingers into his ears till the last word was sung, and then withdrew them.

"Here, what do you mean about the lady's-maid?"

"I've told Tom Fillot to come. He's to attend to you down here. I've got some one else for you on deck."

"Tell him to make haste, then."