ike at having saved the first luff's life. After you'd gone all the
lads got talking about it, and I felt as proud as a peacock with ten
tails. And I got wondering, too, about what Mr Reardon would do, for
he said he would see me again. It was all very well then, but that
night when I turned in I felt quite sick, and I couldn't sleep a wink.
The more I turned about in my hammock, the hotter and worser I got.
There it all was before me, I could see myself holding that pirate chap
pinned down, and there was his eyes rolling and his teeth snapping as he
twisted about. Ugh! it was horrid, sir; and I felt as I was in for it,
and began to understand what one has read about chaps as commits murder
always being haunted like with thoughts of what they've done, and never
being happy no more. Then it got worse and worse, and I says to myself,
`If it was as bad as that for just doing your duty, and saving your
officer's life, what must it be when you kills a man out o' sheer
wickedness to get his money?'"

The man stopped then, and looked round to see if any one was within
hearing, but we were quite alone, and he went on quietly--

"You won't laugh at me, sir, will you?"

"Laugh?" I cried wonderingly. "It's too horrible to laugh about."

"Yes, sir; but I meant, feel ready to chaff about it, and tell the other
young gentlemen, and get thinking me soft."

"Of course not, Morris."

"No, sir, you ain't that sort. You've got a mother, too, ain't you?"

"Yes; but I shouldn't have liked her to see all we saw that day."

"No, sir, you wouldn't. I haven't got no mother now, sir, but I did
have one once."

I felt ready to smile, but I kept my countenance.

"Seems rum of a big ugly fellow like me talking about his mother, sir;
but, Lor' bless you! all us chaps has got a bit of a soft spot somewhere
insides us for our old woman, even them as never talks about it; and do
you know, sir, that night just when I felt worst as I rolled about in my
hammock, and was going to get out and find the bucket of water for a
drink, I got thinking about my old mother, and how she used to come and
tuck me up in bed of a night, and kiss me and say, Gawd bless me, and
then of how she used to talk to me and tell me always to do what was
right, and, no matter what happened, I should feel at rest. And then I
got thinking as I must have done very wrong in killing that Chinee, to
feel as bad as I did. And I got arguing it over first one way and th