as gets skeared about a bit o' danger, sir; now, am I, sir?"

"No, Tom; I believe you to be a brave fellow that your officers can
always trust."

"Thankye, sir; that's what I want to be--chap as can stand a bit o'
fire, sir, eh?" said the man, with a broad grin.

"Yes, Tom, and that's what made me feel vexed at your being so
superstitious."

"Sooperstitious, sir?" said the man, giving his head another rub.
"That's what you call it, is it, sir? Well, but arn't it enough to make
a fellow feel a bit creepy, sir, to have them dry-land eels squirming
about overhead ready to give him a nip as means Dr Reston shaking his
head all over you and calling your messmates to sew you up in your
hammock with a twenty-four pound shot at your feet, and the skipper
reading the sarvice over you before the hatch upon which you lays is
tilted up, and then _splash_, down you goes out o' sight at gunfire. I
don't see, sir, as a fellow has much to be ashamed of in being a bit
shivery."

"Nor I, Tom, if he shivered from an instinctive fear of a poisonous
serpent. But you were not afraid of that, eh?"

Tom May screwed up his face again with a comical grin, shook his head,
and then, after a glance here and there at his messmates who were to be
stationed as sentries--

"Well, not azackly, sir," he said. "I was reg'larly skeared at
something, and I did not know what; but I see now, sir. It was my
natur' to--what you called 'stinctive."

"Well, we'll leave it there, Tom," said Murray smiling, "but I'm not
quite satisfied. I'll go and have a look by and by."

"Ah! But Mr Murray, sir, you won't go and think I was a bit--"

"Never mind what I thought, Tom; and now come on. I want to see about
the positions the men are to be in. To begin with, I should like the
two men in the cutter to lie off a bit further."

The order was given, and a fresh position was taken up before the middy
walked carefully all round the planter's rest-house and carefully
stationed his men on duty, adding a few words about keeping a sharp
lookout for the approach of danger, and at a whisper from the big
sailor, including snakes.

This done, the lad began to amuse himself by examining the attempts that
had been made to render the place beautiful, and it was while thus
engaged, and noting that the forest all round the clearing and
cultivation was apparently impenetrable, giving the idea that the
cottage could only be approached by water, that Tom followed up