! they may, and welcome. Scoundrel! can _we_ have any
secrets?"

The fiery hate that flashed from the eye of venomous impotence played
upon me, at the very moment that the tone of his voice became more
bland, and his deportment more submissive.

"Mr Rattlin, your honour, will you condescend to hear me? It is for
your own good, sir. Pray be no longer angry. I think I am dying; will
you forgive me?--will you shake hands with me?" And he extended to me
his thin and delicate hand.

"Oh, no, no!" I exclaimed, accompanying my sneer with all the scorn
that I could put in my countenance. "Such things as you don't die--
reptiles are tenacious of life. For the malicious and ape-like
mischiefs that you have done to me and to my messmates--though in
positive guilt I hold them to be worse than actual felony--I forgive
you--but, interchange the token of friendship with such as you--never!"

"Ralph Rattlin, I know you!"

"Insolent rascal! know yourself; dare to send for me no more. I leave
you."

I turned upon my heel, and was about leaving this floating hospital,
when again that familiar tone of the voice that had struck the inmost
chord of my heart in his shrieking appeal at the gangway, arrested me,
and the astounding words which he uttered quickly brought me to his
side. In that strange tone, that seemed to have been born with my
existence, he exclaimed, distinctly, yet not loudly, "Brother Ralph,
listen to me!"

"Liar, cheat, swindler!" I hissed forth in an impassioned whisper,
close to his inclined ear, "my heart disowns you--my soul abhors you--my
gorge rises at you. I abominate--I loathe you--most contemptible, yet
most ineffable liar!"

"Oh, brother!" and a hectic flush came over his chalky countenance,
whilst a sardonic smile played over his features. "You can speak low
enough now. 'Tis a pity that primogeniture is so little regarded in his
Majesty's vessels of war; but methinks that you are but little dutiful,
seeing that I am some ten years your senior, and that I do not scorn to
own _you_, though you are the son of my father's paramour."

The horrible words shot ice into my heart. I could no longer retain my
stooping position over him, but, feeling faint and very sick, I sat down
involuntarily beside him. But the agony of apprehension was but for a
moment. A mirth, stern and wild, brought its relief to my paralysed
bosom, and, laughing loudly, I jumped up and exclaimed, "Josh, you
little vagab