as to get him
and Mr Russell well again; and look at 'em now. Why, it has quite
cured 'em both."

"And their doctor has done nothing, Mr Bob Howlett?"

"Oh, I didn't mean that, sir, exactly," said that gentleman, colouring a
little. "Of course you have done them a lot of good, sir, and--"

"There, you are only floundering about, young gentleman, and making
worse of it," said the doctor, gruffly.

"Wait a bit; you will be laid by the heels one of these days, and then
you will sing a very different song. But you are a wonderful deal
better, Vandean, and I congratulate you. I shall not have to ask for
you to be sent home."

"Oh yes, I'm much better, sir," cried Mark.

"Well, don't talk as if you were afraid I was going to order you pills
and draught. I've done with you, but you had better be careful Mr
Russell can go on without me now. As for Mr Howlett here--well, we'll
wait for that."

He gave Bob a curious look and strolled away, leaving that gentleman
with his face screwed up in a way which made Mark burst out laughing.

"Oh yes, it's all very well for you to grin," grumbled Bob; "you're out
of the wood. He don't like me, and you see if he doesn't serve me out
first chance he gets."

"Then you should have been more careful about what you said."

"Well, I was. I do believe he'd like to have me down in his cabin to
cut up for experiment, and to practise physic on. Ugh! the old wretch!"
he continued, with a shudder.

"Hallo! what's the matter now?" he added, as the man up aloft shouted
"Sail ho!" and glasses were rapidly brought to bear upon a point miles
away down south, where a few palm trees were dimly-seen through the hot
haze.

"What do you make of her, Mr Russell?" said the captain to the young
officer, who had gone aloft.

"Barque, sir. Small. Heavily-rigged. She's going right in. There
must be either a bay there, or a large river."

"No mention of any bay or harbour there," said the captain. "Looks
bad--or good," he added. "What else can you make out?"

"Nothing, sir. The trees hide her now completely."

"Slaver, then, without a doubt. Now, gentlemen, she has gone in without
seeing us, and it will be our fault if she gets away. We must have no
mistake this time."

"Hurray!" whispered Bob to his companion. "Prize-money at last."

"Chickens," said Mark.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't count 'em till they're hatched."

"Get out, croaker!"

Just then the two blacks came a