o express my gratitude.

The doctor laughed. "I wish you better luck than that, my boy," he
observed. "What makes you say that?"

"Because, sir, you didn't find fault with me for tumbling you over; now,
when I ran against Mr Saunders, he sent me to the masthead for a couple
of hours."

"You were skylarking then, my lad, and the ship was not pitching and
tumbling about as she now is," he said. "However, go and lie down in
the berth, if you can find room there, and you'll soon be all to
rights."

I willingly obeyed his injunctions, while he sent to have his dispensary
cleaned, and the phials and gallipots which had escaped fracture picked
up. I believe a good many were saved by tumbling upon us instead of
upon the deck.

As Nettleship and the other midshipmen were merciful, I managed to have
a good caulk on the locker. When I awoke I felt almost like myself
again. I dreaded, however, having to go on deck to keep watch, and was
much inclined to ask the doctor to put me on the sick list.

In my sufferings I had not forgotten my follower, Larry. As soon as I
could, I hastened forward to see how he was getting on, as I had
ascertained that it was his watch below.

As I got forward, a scene of human misery and wretchedness presented
itself, such as I had never before witnessed. Half the marines were
lying about the deck, unable to lift up their heads, while most of the
boys were in the same condition. Among them I found Larry. He gazed at
me with lack-lustre eyes as I approached.

"Shure, the say's not at all at all the place I thought it was, Mr
Terence," he groaned forth. "I've been turned inside out entirely. I
don't even know whether the inside of me isn't the outside."

There was a general groan, as the ship at that moment pitched into a
sea, and I had to hold on fast, or I should have been sent in among the
mass of human misery. When she rose again and was steady for an
instant, I was able to speak to Larry.

"I can't say I feel very comfortable myself," I said; "but rouse up and
try to prevent your feelings from overcoming you."

"Och, Master Terence, but my faylings are mighty powerful, and for the
life of me I can't master them," he groaned out.

This was very evident; and what with the smells and the closeness of the
air,--not to speak of the pitching and rolling of the ship,--I was again
almost overpowered, when there came a cry of "All hands save ship!" and
down sprang the boatswain's ma