the Celebes coast stretched along to leeward like a roll of
vapor in due course without any disquieting gleam of canvas having
popped up over the stern-ward sea line.

Then came a day of calms and baffling airs, and a sickening swell rolled
in from the south that made of the brigantine a staggering, squealing
platform, hammering all the Viking spirit out of Little for a while and
forcing him to run to cover like a very greenhorn. Barry visited him in
his cabin from time to time and at first ridiculed his weakness; but
Little was undergoing a treatment in which he had a faith proof against
ridicule. He waved a cheery hand at Barry, and a sickly smile puckered
his pale yellow face.

"'Vast, y' lubber!" he cried, in no manner abashed. "I'm not seasick.
Just undergoing redecoration inside. At present I have a beautiful
greenish-orange feeling in my lower hold; in an hour or so it'll change
to purplish-pink and my face will change from yellow to green. Then I'll
be all right again. Fit to take command when you curl up, old boy."

"Don't you want anything?" inquired Barry, grinning admiringly at the
sufferer's grit. "Brandy or something?"

"Nothing, thanks. Vandersee's been in every half hour during his watch
below; he's got some stuff that goes down like oiled honey and kicks
hard when it lands. He's all right, Barry. His smile's worth a hogshead
o' rum. Says, if I keep quiet here for an hour or so more, he'll have me
fit to fight a roast turkey."

The second mate stepped out of his own berth as Barry left Little, and
the skipper regarded him with a new interest. The ruddy face wore a soft
smile, and the big frame passed across the main cabin on feet light as a
dancer's. He carried a glass of some mixture in his hand and entered
Little's cabin, giving the skipper a deferential nod as he went by.
Barry joined the mate on the poop.

"Queer fellow, Vandersee is," smiled the skipper, joining stride with
the other in his short walk. "You'd think he was a qualified nurse by
the way he's coddling Little. I'll share his watch when he relieves you,
Mr. Rolfe. He may want to administer a few more doses to his patient."

"Huh! I'd be pretty sick before I'd let a smooth duck like him give me
any doses--Beg pardon, Captain Barry. Yes, sir, I think he's quite a
nurse," returned the mate, half committing himself before he could pull
up. Barry let the slight outburst pass without comment.

Vandersee relieved the deck for the first w