to the soothing
sough of the wind and the plash and gurgle of the water along the ship's
side.

It was whilst he remained in this semi-conscious state of beatitude that
another voice broke in, in cheery response to the words of the first
speaker, with--

"That's capital news, doctor; I heartily congratulate you on the
successful result of your efforts. And the other one is also likely to
do well, you say?"

"Ou ay; he'll do weel eneuch, too; though--mind ye--the puir laddie has
had a narrow escape. But they're a' richt the noo; I ken richt weel
what tae do wi' baith noo that I hae succeedit in bringin' back some
signs o' life in them. And noo, captain, if ye'll excuse me, I'll--eh,
weel! hoo's a' wi' ye the noo, my mon?"

This exclamation was elicited by the circumstance that George had at
last mustered sufficient resolution to open his eyes and look curiously
about him.

And this is what he saw. He saw that he was the occupant of a
snow-white canvas cot, which hung suspended from the beams of a ship's
roomy after-cabin, the situation of the apartment being manifested by
the presence of stern-ports fitted with glazed sashes, all of which were
open. There were also two side-ports, one on each side of the cabin,
out of which grinned a couple of eighteen-pound carronades, the
carriages of which, as well as the whole of the gun inside the port,
were painted white. The walls of the cabin, the deck-beams, and the
underside of the deck were also painted white with gilt mouldings; a few
pictures--one of which was the portrait of a lady--were securely
fastened to the walls; the floor was covered with fine matting, and a
large writing-table with three or four solid, substantial-looking chairs
completed the furnishing of the apartment.

But the chief objects of attraction to George were two figures, which
stood beside his cot. One of these was a tall, lanky individual, clad
entirely in white, with red hair, prominent cheek-bones, and a pair of
piercing grey eyes surmounted by shaggy eye-brows. The other was a
shorter, stouter man, light-haired and blue-eyed, a genuine Saxon all
over, his fair complexion tanned to a rich ruddy-brown hue, and with a
hearty, kindly, genial expression of countenance which won George's
heart in an instant. This individual was also in white, his clothing
being reduced to a shirt and a pair of white duck trousers supported at
the waist by a belt. George had no difficulty in deciding th