Excuse me, sir; I see that the hands are about to sway away upon the
tackles and hoist in the boats. I'll just give an eye to them, if you
don't mind, and see that they don't make a mess of the job."

With the assistance of the _Shark's_ people the boats were soon got
inboard and stowed, after which my boats' crews were bestowed in the
forecastle and the steerage, there happening by good luck to be just
sufficient vacant berths in the latter to accommodate the wounded. This
matter having been attended to, the mate remarked to me:

"There's a vacant cabin in the cuddy; but the stewards are all turned
in, and it would take 'em some time to clear it out and get it ready for
you; so perhaps you might be able to make do with a shakedown on the
cabin sofa for to-night; or there's my cabin, which you're very welcome
to, if you like, and I'll take my watch below on a sofa."

"Thank you very much for your exceedingly kind offer," said I, "but I
couldn't think of dispossessing you of your own cabin, even for a single
night. The sofa will serve my turn admirably, especially as I had no
sleep last night, and not much during the night before. But, before I
go below, I should like to hear how it comes about that the man who was
second mate of this ship when she left England is now master of her. To
bring about such a state of affairs as that you must have lost both your
original skipper and your chief mate."

"Yes," answered Carter, "that's exactly what's happened. We've had what
the newspapers would call a couple of tragedies aboard here. First of
all, the skipper--who looked as strong and healthy a man as you'd meet
with in a day's march--was found dead in his bed, on the morning of the
fifth day out; and, next, the chief mate--who of course took command,
and was supposed to be a total abstainer--was found missin', as you may
say, when the steward went to call him, one morning--he'd only been in
command four days, poor chap; and the mate--that's our present skipper,
Cap'n Williams--gave it out that he must have committed suicide, while
in liquor, by jumpin' out of the stern window--which was found to be
wide-open, on the mornin' when poor Mr Mowbray was reported missing."

"Very extraordinary," commented I, stifling a prodigious yawn. "And
now, Mr Carter, with your kind permission I will go below and lie down,
for I feel pretty well tired out."

"Ay, that I'll be bound you do," agreed Carter. "This way, Mr
Grenvile, a