to one of the ports
just now, as I passed by on my way down here, and I wondered what
mischief you were up to! Well, well, I respect you, my boy, for not
telling tales out of school, as the old saying goes; so, I won't split
on you. Carry the youngster to my cabin, Macan, and then nobody will
know anything about the matter. See here, I will look after you myself,
youngster and keep you a prisoner till you're all right again. What
d'you think of that, now?"

"Th-a-nk you, doctor," said I, faintly, for I felt very weak and giddy,
everything seeming to be whirling round me. "I'll--"

"Yes, yes, I know; all right, my boy, all right," interrupted the
kind-hearted, old fellow, stopping any further attempt to speak on my
part; and the brawny corporal of marines at the same instant lifting me
up in his arms as if I were a baby, I lost consciousness, the last thing
I recollect hearing being the doctor's voice, sounding, though, far away
as if a mile off, like a voice in a dream, saying to me in the soft,
purring tone he always adopted when in a specially good temper, "Here,
drink this, my boy, and go to sleep!"

"Faith an' sure ye're awake at last!" exclaimed Corporal Macan when I
opened my eyes, a minute or so after this, as I thought. "How d'ye fale
now, sor?"

"Hullo!" said I, raising my head and looking round me in astonishment.
"Where am I?"

"In Dr Nittleby's own cabin, sure," answered the Irishman, grinning;
"an' by the same token, sor, as he wor called away by the cap'en, he
lift me here for to say, he tould me, whither ye wor di'd or aloive,
sure, whin ye woke up."

"I feel awfully hungry, Corporal Macan," said I, after a pause to
reflect on the situation. "Have I been asleep long?"

"Ivver since Siven Bells, sure, in the forenoon watch, sor."

"And what's the time now?"

"Close on Four Bells in the first dog watch, sor."

"Good gracious me!" I exclaimed in consternation, tossing off a lot of
blankets that lay on the top of me and jumping out of the big bunk that
was like a sofa, where I had been sleeping, on to the deck of the cabin;
when I found I was attired only in a long garment, which must have been
one of the doctor's nightshirts, for it reached down considerably below
my feet, tripping me up on my trying to walk towards the door. "Where
are my clothes?"

"Here, sor," replied the corporal, equal to the occasion, taking up a
bundle that was lying on one of the lockers and proceeding to spre