leave, there's the
captain yonder; go and ask him."

"He'd only say, sir, why didn't we ask leave of you."

"And very proper too," said the first lieutenant, "and if he does say so
you can tell him I would not give you leave because I thought it waste
of time for young men who want to rise in their profession. What was
that you muttered, Mr Murray?"

"I only said to myself, sir, `All work and no play makes Jack a dull
boy.'"

"Yes; very true, my lad," said the officer, with a grim smile. "I'm not
unreasonable, and I'd give you leave; but perhaps you had better ask
your chief."

"Thank you, sir," said Murray.

"And look here, Murray; if you get permission, be careful. I don't want
the routine of the ship to be interfered with and my men set hovering
about to pick up a couple of useless idlers, and every one upset by the
cry of a man overboard--I mean, a boy."

"I'll try not to be that boy," said Murray, smiling; and the chief
officer gave him a friendly nod and walked forward.

"Bah!" grumbled Roberts. "There's favouritism."

"Nonsense!"

"'Tisn't. He always favours you."

"Not he."

"To turn upon us like that just because it's almost a calm! A growling
old snarly! I never saw such a temper. Now he has gone forward to set
the men to do something that doesn't want doing."

"He's a bit out of temper this morning because the skipper has been at
him about something."

"Yes; I heard him at it. Nice pair they are, and a pretty life they
lead the men!"

"Oh, well, never mind that. Tom May has got the grains and the line
ready, and I want to begin."

"A boy! Apeing a man, and all that stuff!" muttered Roberts. "I
suppose he never was a boy in his life."

"Oh, wasn't he! There, never mind all that."

"But I do mind it, sir," said Roberts haughtily, as he involuntarily
began to pass his fingers over the spot just beneath his temples where
the whisker down was singed. "I consider that his words were a perfect
insult."

"Perfect or imperfect, what does it matter? Come on, _sir_. I want to
begin harpooning."

"What do you mean by that?" cried Roberts, turning upon him angrily.

"What do I mean?"

"Yes; by using the word _sir_ to me in that meaning way."

"You got on the stilts, and I only followed suit. There, there, don't
be so touchy. Go on and ask the skipper for leave."

"No, thank you. I don't want to play the idle boy."

"Don't you? Then I do, and what's more, I know you do