ften wet into the bargain, from unseen leaks which are
not of sufficient consequence to trouble the officers, as they do not
affect the safety of the ship.

At length, one day Tom told me that we were within sight of the Cape de
Verde Islands, at which he believed the captain intended to call. He
was very glad, he said, of this, as he hoped to be able to get me a
supply of oranges and limes, which he thought would do me more good than
anything else.

The very name of fruit made my mouth water, and I thought I would give a
great deal just to have one good suck at an orange. Great was my
disappointment, therefore, when shortly afterwards Mark came in, and
said that a strong north-easterly wind had sprung up, and that we were
standing away from the islands, but that the captain, he believed,
intended to put into Rio de Janeiro.

"I must wait patiently till we get there," I said. "I hope it won't
take us long."

"We have to pass through the horse latitudes, and to cross the line
first, and Rio is some way to the south of that, so I'm afraid you must
suck your fingers instead of oranges," he answered.

I was now rapidly getting better, and I began to pine for fresh air and
exercise.

"You'll be wiser to stay where you are, Master Dick," said Mark. "No
one believes that you're a gentleman's son, and if they did I'm very
sure it would make very little difference. I should, perhaps, benefit
by your getting about, as you would have all the dirty work to do which
now falls to my lot. It's only surprising that the captain has allowed
you to remain so long in the berth, for he knows that you're aboard,
though he takes no notice of you. Still I'd advise you, as long as you
can, to stay where you are."

I had not long the opportunity. Two days afterwards the third mate came
into the berth with a short, knotted rope in his hand.

"Come, youngster, you have been long enough malingering here," he
exclaimed; "I find the cook has been serving out no end of good grub to
you, and you've done nothing for it. We don't want idlers aboard the
`Emu;' show a leg there pretty smartly."

I attempted to rise. Tom had washed and dried my clothes. I got hold
of my trousers, and slipt my legs into them. When I attempted to stand
upright, my knees gave way and down I sank. At the same moment the
mate's colt descended on my back. I was taken so completely by surprise
that I shrieked out with pain. I tried to lift myself up by th