going through that
performance, you meant."

"I am not going to argue and fence. Look here, you have got to face the
men, so why not make a plunge and do it? You think the lads will be
winking and exchanging glances and whispering to one another, when all
the time there's only one body on board the _Teal_ who gives all that
business a thought, and that's you. Tchah! Sailors have no time to
think about what's past. They have always got to keep a sharp look-out
for the rocks ahead. You are such a sensitive chap. Come on up, and
let's have a turn at fishing."

"Is your father quite well again?" said Fitz, without heeding his
companion's proposal.

"Oh yes; that was only one of his fits. They come and go."

"And how's Mr Burgess?"

"Pretty well right again. Come up. Have the glass. You can see
another island astern, one of the little ones, and I think we are going
to have one of these lovely tropic sunsets, same as we had last night
when you wouldn't come and see it."

"How can a fellow situated as I am care for sunsets?"

"Just in the same way as he can care for sunrises if he's awake early
enough. Oh, do pitch all that up! It has all gone by. But I see how
it is. You think that you made a mistake, and that everybody will be
ready to laugh at you."

"And so they will," cried Fitz passionately. "I can never show my face
on deck again."

"Ha, ha!" laughed Poole. "Well, you are a rum chap, fancying a thing
like that. Why, my father's too much of a gentleman ever to notice it
again, and I'm sure old grumpy Burgess wouldn't, from what he said to me
when I was telling him all about it afterwards."

"What!" cried Fitz, flashing out. "You went down tale-bearing to the
mate like that?"

"There you go again! I didn't go tale-bearing. He'd heard about it
from one of the men, and next time I took him his quinine he began
questioning me."

"And what did he say?" cried Fitz fiercely.

"Shan't tell you."

"What!" cried Fitz. "And you profess to be my friend!"

"Yes; that's why I won't tell you," said Poole, with his eyes twinkling.
"I want to spare your feelings, or else it will make you so wild."

"The insolent piratical old scoundrel!" cried Fitz. "How dare he!"

"Oh, don't ask me. He's a regular rough one with his tongue, as you
know by the way in which he deals with the men; gives the dad the raspy
side of his palaver sometimes, but dad never seems to mind it. He never
takes any notice