he said.

"No, sir. For Walters, sir, before he comes on deck."

"Oh!" he ejaculated with a grim look, and he turned away, while I dived
in through the door and made my way to the cabin, where I could hear
that Walters was having a good wash.

"Here, I've brought you something to take," I cried.

He glanced round sharply, saw what I had, and took no more notice, but
went on with his washing.

"Better have it while it's hot," I said.

He took up the towel and began to rub.

"Look sharp, you must take it," I cried. "If I stand it down, it will
slop over the side."

"Oh, well, if you won't," I cried at last, "I shall eat it myself."

He threw down the towel, turned, half-snatched the basin away, and held
it as if he were going to throw the contents in my face.

His action was so sudden that I flinched.

"Ah, you know you deserve it," he cried, sourly.

"Yes, shall I eat it?" I replied, recovering myself.

"Bah!" he snarled out, and feeling that I had done all that was
necessary, I backed away and went up on deck, from whence I saw my
messmate come out of the cabin about ten minutes after, and as the
captain signed to him to come near, I slipped down out of curiosity,
hurried to the cabin, and found that the basin was emptied to the last
drop.

I ran forward and popped my head in at the galley.

"Send a boy to fetch the empty basin from our cabin," I said quickly.

"All right, sir," was the reply, and I went aft, just as Walters was
leaving the cabin, but he took care not to come near me, and I went on
with my work.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

Down south we sailed as swiftly as favouring gales and plenty of sail
could take us, and in course of time we had passed below the Azores, and
every one on board was waking up to the fact that we were getting into
latitudes where the weather grew hotter and more sunshiny day by day.

All the foul winds and rough seas had been left far behind in the north,
and anything more delightful than the life on board it would have been
impossible to conceive.

There were troubles, of course, and I used to think that the captain was
unnecessarily severe on Jarette and several of the other men; but I set
it down to a desire to preserve good discipline, and of course I felt
that he must know best how to manage his crew.

The passengers passed the greater part of their time on deck, coming up
early to bathe in the bright sunshine which made the metal look too hot
to touch, an