was all over
with him.

"Dead as Julius Caesar, captain," said Gelid coolly.

Dead enough, thought I, and left the cabin to go on deck. At the foot
of the companion-ladder, I stumbled over something.

"What the deuce is this?" growled I.

"It's me, sir."

"Me--and who's me?"

"Reefpoint, sir."

"Gracious God! what are you doing here youngster? You're not wounded,
I hope."

"A little, sir; a scratch from a splinter, sir. The same shot that
tripped up poor Wiggins, sent a splinter after me."

"Why don't you go to the doctor, Reefpoint?"

"I was waiting until he had finished with Wiggins, sir, but as it is
all over with him now, I'll go and have my wound dressed."

His voice grew weaker and weaker, until I could hardly understand what
he said. I took him in my arms, carried him into the cabin, and
undressed him. I found that he was wounded in the right side just
above the hip. Bangs, who in the meanwhile had got over his weakness
by the aid of a glass of water, lent his aid, and the natural goodness
of his heart now made itself apparent.

"What, Reefpoint! little reefer," he cried; "you are surely not
wounded, my dear friend--such a little fellow; why I should as soon
have thought they would have shot at a fly."

"Indeed, I am wounded, Master Bangs; look there."

Bangs examined the wound, holding the poor little midshipman in his
arms.

"God bless me!" he cried, with an outbreak of the most heartfelt
grief; "you seem more fit to be in your mother's nursery, than to be
knocked about in this way."

Reefpoint sank fainting into his arms.

"With the captain's permission you must have my bed," said Aaron to
him, whilst he and Wagtail undressed the boy with the greatest care
and tenderness, and laid him in the hammock.

"Thank you, sir," sobbed little Reefpoint, "if my mother were here,
she would thank you too."

III.

My duty called me on deck, and I heard no more. The night was very
dark, and I could see nothing of the stranger, but I steered as near
as I could in the direction I believed him to have taken, hoping to
catch a glimpse of him at daybreak. After a little while Bangs came on
deck.

"Well, captain, now that the little reefer is asleep, what do you
think of this business? A pretty large vessel, eh? We nearly had a
brush with her. I'm not particularly sorry, though, she has taken
herself off, especially as the wind has gone down."

"Ah, but my dear sir," replied I, "I don't think that