difference there is between Bob Chowne now and
Bob Chowne when he lay down in the bottom of the boat last night, and
howled when old Big made him get up and row."

"You want me to hit you, Sep Duncan?"

"No," I said.

"Because I shall if you talk to me like that. Old Big didn't make me.
I was cold and--"

"Frightened," I said.

"No, I wasn't frightened, sneak."

"Well, I was, horribly," I said. "I thought we should never get to
shore again. Weren't you frightened, Big?"

"Never felt so frightened before since I got wedged in the rocks," said
Bigley coolly.

"Then you are a pair of cowards," cried Bob sharply. "I was so cold and
wet and stiff I could hardly move, but I never felt frightened in the
least."

I looked at Bigley, and found that he was looking at me; and then he
laid his head against the bulkhead, and shut his eyes and laughed till
the tears rolled down his cheeks, and I laughed too, as the picture of
ourselves in the open boat came before me again, with Bigley ordering
Bob to get up and row, and him shivering and sobbing and protesting like
a child.

"What are you laughing at?" he cried. "You've got out of your trouble
now and you want to quarrel, I suppose. But I sha'n't; I don't want to
fight. Only wait till we get across, you won't laugh when old Jony
Uggleston comes down on you both for taking the boat. I shall say I
didn't want you to, but you would. And then you've got my father and
your father to talk to you after that."

But in spite of these unpleasant visions of trouble, which he conjured
up, Bigley and I still laughed, for, boy-like, the danger passed, its
memory did not trouble us much. We had escaped: we were safe; Bob was
making himself ridiculously comic by his hectoring brag, and all we
wanted to do was to laugh.

In the midst of our mirth, and while Bob Chowne was growing more and
more absurd by putting on indignant airs, the hatchway was darkened
again by the French skipper's petticoats and boots, and directly after
he stood before us smiling and rubbing his hands.

"Aha, you!" he said. "You better well, mosh better. I make you jolly
boys, eh?"

"Yes, sir, we are much better now," I exclaimed, holding out my hand.
"We are so much obliged to you for helping us as you have."

"Mon garcon, mon ami," he exclaimed; and instead of shaking hands, he
folded me in his arms and kissed me on both cheeks. I stepped back as
soon as I was free, and stood watching as he s