"Yes, sir," said Murray, drawing a deep breath as he glanced at the
doctor and found that he was watching him.

"I can't help it," he said to himself, as he stood alone in the shade
watching the departing boat making for the sloop, "and I don't know that
I want to help it. It does seem a horrible thing to do, but they're
right, and it's one's duty. Wish I'd been handy, though, when the first
luff wanted to send his message to the captain. Dick Roberts does
somehow seem to get all the luck."

It was just a dash of envy; but the feeling did not last, for his common
sense began to make itself felt directly after, as he withdrew his gaze
from the boat to watch the group of sturdy-looking men sharing his
shelter, and all excited and eager as they discussed the events of the
morning and the task they evidently knew that they had to do.

"Yes, it's all envy, and envy is a poor, small, contemptible thing to
encourage. I wish I had none. How stupid of me! One never knows. It
would have been nice enough to sit back holding the lines and steering
while the lads pulled, but only a lazy sort of a task, and here I am put
in command of half-a-dozen or so of these stout lads to carry out the
captain's orders and see that they do the work well."

Perhaps the fact of his thinking about the men and the work in prospect
made him fix his eyes upon Tom May and think that he would like to have
him in his party; perhaps not, but all the same the man turned his head
just then and met his eyes, gave his waistband a hitch in front and
rear, and then crossed a patch of sunshine and joined him in the shade.

"Yes, sir?" he said enquiringly.

"I did not call, Tom."

"No, sir, but I thought you looked as if you was signalling me. Beg
pardon, sir; I s'pose you know we're going to burn out this here wasp
nest?"

"I expect so, Tom."

"Yes, sir, that's so, and the lads are getting so hot to begin that we
all feel warm enough to set fire to the place without matches."

"Well, it is hot, Tom," said Murray, smiling, while the man showed his
big white teeth in a broad grin.

"I expeck we shall be 'vided into squads, sir, and there's about
half-a-dozen of my messmates will fall nat'ral along o' me. Couldn't
manage, I s'pose, sir, to have us under your command, could you?"

"I don't know, Tom," replied the young man. "You'll see that Mr
Anderson will settle all that."

"Yes, sir; I know, sir; but I thought p'raps that if you happene