harm in hurtin'
a thing like him. Do him good, I say. You see, Master Syd, there's
young gents as grows into good skippers, and there's young gents as
grows into tyrants, and worries the men till they mutinies, and there's
hangings and court-martials--leastwise, court-martials comes first.
Now, Mr Terry, sir, unless he's tamed down and taught better, 's one o'
the sort as makes bad skippers, and the more he's licked the better
he'll be."

"I shall never like him," said Syd, whose spoon was scraping the bottom
of the basin now.

"No, sir; I s'pose not," said Barney, with a dry grin beginning to
spread over his countenance. "Nobody could; but I dare say his mother
thinks he's a werry nyste boy, and kisses and cuddles him, and calls him
dear."

"Yes, I suppose so, Barney."

"And a pretty dear too; eh, Master Syd?"

"Yes, Barney. What are you laughing at?"

"You, sir," cried the bos'un. "Hooray! he's took it all, and said he
couldn't touch a drop."

"Well, I thought I couldn't, Barney; but Mr Terry roused me up, and I
feel better now."

"Nay, sir; play fair."

"What do you mean?"

"Give a man his doo. It was me roused you up."

"So it was, Barney. I'm a deal better."

"You're quite well, says Doctor Barney Strake, and that's me. Say,
Master Syd, what do they call that they gives a doctor wrorped up in
paper?"

"His fee."

"Then, sir, that's just what you owes me, who says to you now--just you
go on deck and breathe the fresh wind, for this here place would a'most
stuffocate a goose."

"Yes, I'll try and get on deck now," said Syd.

"And try means do. Hooray, sir, I'm going to tell the captain as you're
quite well, thankye, now, Amen."

"Not quite well, Barney."

"Ay, but you are, sir. But I say, Master Syd."

"What?"

"You never said your grace."

CHAPTER TWENTY.

The cure was complete, and two days later Syd had almost forgotten that
he had been ill. The weather was glorious, and as they sailed on south
and west before a favouring breeze, life at sea began to have its
charms.

Every day the ocean seemed to grow more blue; and pretty often there was
something fresh to look at, fish, or bird wandering far from land.

But theirs was to be no pleasure trip, as Syd soon realised upon seeing
the many preparations that were being made for war.

In his old days of command, Captain Harry Belton's was considered the
smartest manned ship in the squadron in which he served, and it wa