nd a
midshipman even in a merchantman oughtn't to be friends in that way with
the men."

Then I laughed silently to myself as I thought of how fond I was of
leaning over the bulwarks and talking to old Bob Hampton when he had the
watch, and listening to his sea-tales about storms and pirates.

"How ready one is to find fault with people one doesn't like," I said to
myself.

"I beg your pardon," said Mr Preddle.

"I didn't speak, sir."

"No; but I had gone into a brown study. There, the fish will do now."

We both went on deck, and somehow when I was alone I too went into a
brown study, and began wondering at Mr Preddle's curious ways, and
thinking what a pity it was that a gentleman like Mr Denning, who was
on a voyage for the sake of his health, should take such a dislike to
Mr Frewen and Mr Preddle too. It hardly seemed to be like
irritability, for after all he was as merry and friendly with the
officers as he was with me. I never went near him without his beckoning
to me to come to his side, and both he and his sister were quite
affectionate to me, making my first long voyage wonderfully pleasant,
and the captain encouraged it.

"He must have heard something about them," I thought, and then I began
to think about Walters and the French sailor and the other sailors, of
those who seemed to form one party all to themselves, and of the others
who kept more along with Bob Hampton and his two friends, who had sailed
together for so many years.

"There, what does it matter?" I said to myself, as I roused myself from
my musings. "Walters doesn't like Bob Hampton because Bob laughed at
him, and that's why he hangs toward Jarette; pities him, perhaps,
because they both got into trouble with the officers, and birds of a
feather flock together."

These were all dreamy thoughts, like clouds in my mind. I could not
understand them. I grew wiser later on when the troubles came.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

I had so many things to take up my attention that I forgot all about
hearing Jarette and Walters talking together. Perhaps it came to mind
once or twice afterwards, but it made no impression then, however much I
may have thought about it afterwards. For then I was trying to learn my
duties, studying up a little navigation, helping Mr Preddle with his
fish that were to stock the New Zealand rivers with trout, and attending
to Mr Denning. I suppose it was attending upon him, but to me it was
all one jolly time of a