engagement
that had sprung up like a squall in the tropics, "don't you begin
dragging me into the discussion."

"Exactly! Certainly not," cried the doctor hotly. "If there is any
need for it I can tackle Master Murray afterwards. I am dealing with
you, sir. You gave me to understand that you did not consider I was the
most hard-worked man in the ship."

"Very well then," cried Roberts warmly, "if you will have it that way, I
don't."

"Oh! Indeed!" said the doctor angrily. "Then what about the last few
days, when I am suddenly brought face to face with a score of wounded
men, and with no one to help me but a surgeon's mate or dresser who is
as stupid as men are made?"

"Wounded, sir?" said Roberts.

"Yes, sir, wounded. Burned, if you like it better. Singed and
scorched. It all comes under the broad term of casualties, does it
not?"

"I suppose so, sir," said Roberts sulkily.

"Better tell me that my services were not called for, and that you could
all have done without me. I call what I have gone through hard work,
and tell you, sir, that it was a time of great anxiety."

"So it must have been, doctor," put in Murray, "and I feel very grateful
for the way you did away with my pain."

"There's a sneak!" cried Roberts angrily. "Who began to bully me for
dragging him into the discussion?"

"You are the sneak, sir," said the doctor, "for trying to dodge out of
the matter like this. Murray spoke out like a man."

"Boy," growled Roberts.

"Very well, sir; like a grateful boy, if that pleases you better. Like
one who appreciates my service and is not ready to turn up his nose at
what such fellows as you call `doctor's stuff,' just as if a medical man
or a surgeon thought of nothing but wasting the ship's stores upon those
who are glad enough to come to them when they are out of sorts, and most
often from their neglect of common sense precautions, or from over
indulgence in the good things of life."

"Precious lot of chances we get to indulge in the good things of life on
board ship!" said Roberts bitterly.

"Let me tell you, sir," said the doctor, shaking his finger at the
midshipman, "that there is nothing better for a growing lad than the
strict discipline and the enforced temperance and moderate living of
shipboard. Better for you, though, if you had not so much idleness."

"Idleness, sir!" cried the lad.

"Yes, sir. You want more work. Ah! You may sneer. Perhaps not quite
so much as