ith an earnest tone. "Have
nothing whatever to do with them."

Before he had time to say more they returned. I managed to whisper to
Tom to reply that he would do just what the doctor and I did. As we
expected, Captain Hansleig soon after turned to us and said--

"I suppose, doctor, you and the lads will join us. I have a berth open
for you, and for Marsden there, also; he shall be fourth mate soon if he
is as attentive as he used to be on board the _Orion_."

"Thank you for your offer," answered Dr Cuff; "I am too ill to do any
duty, and prefer remaining where I am. Marsden and the boy must speak
for themselves."

"Thank you for your offer," I answered bluntly, "but I have made up my
mind to remain with Dr Cuff, and I hope Tom Bigg will stay by me."

Captain Hansleig seemed somewhat annoyed at this reply. "Why, what do
you think of me and my craft that you refuse to join us?" he asked.

"Provided a person does nothing to offend, really he cannot be called on
to express his thoughts," observed the doctor. "It is enough to tell
you that Marsden is anxious to reach Ceylon, and unless you are going
there it is a sufficient reason rarely for his declining to join your
vessel."

Dr Cuff spoke in so calm and yet so resolute a tone that the reply
seemed fully to satisfy Captain Hansleig.

"Well, every man to his taste," he answered, "If you prefer living on in
this desolate spot, I'll not force you away. Only I warn you that it is
very little known, and very many months may pass before any other vessel
may touch here. I happened to be in want of a supply of turtle, and
cocoanuts, and fresh water, or I should not have come near the place."

I told him that I should abide by my first decision, and he did not
press the matter further. The slaver traffickers, as the doctor called
them, or pirates, as I suspect they also deserved to be called, spent a
whole day and two nights on the island. The nights they employed in
catching turtles--the days in carrying them on board, and in procuring
cocoa-nuts. I observed that they made Sills and Brown work as hard as
themselves, ill as they still were from the effects of the fish they had
eaten. I doubted, indeed, whether either of them could recover, they
looked so wretchedly ill when they went on board. We could, however,
have done them no good had they remained; and though it was satisfactory
to see them and their new associates take their departure, yet I could
not