e made it of."

"Why, meat, of course," cried the middy. "I don't know," said Poole
dryly. "You see, it's not like being ashore; but you had soup pretty
well every day, and you said yourself that it tasted all right. But it
doesn't matter. It did you good."

"Don't you think we had better change the subject?" said Fitz sharply.
"Yes; and we'll go up aloft again. Coming?"

"Of course," was the reply.

They turned back to go aft towards the mainmast-shrouds, Don Ramon's
followers making room for them to pass; but as they reached the part of
the deck where they were going to ascend, they came upon the boatswain
looking as black as thunder.

"Hullo, Butters! Anything the matter?" said Poole. "Matter!" growled
the copper-faced old fellow. "Look at my deck--I mean, as much of it as
you can see. I am pretty nigh sick of this! A set of jabbering
monkeys; that's about what they are."

"Up aloft again, Poole?" cried the skipper. "Just going," was the
reply, and giving up his place by the starboard main-shrouds to Fitz,
the lad ran across the deck to the port side, where he began to ascend,
the pair meeting at the masthead upon equal terms. "Here, I'd give up
the glass to you," cried Poole, "but father mightn't like it, though
your eyes are as sharp or sharper than mine. I'll give one sweep round
and report to the deck, and then you shall have a turn."

Poole passed his arm round a stay and raised the glass to his eyes,
while Fitz took a turn round the rope with one leg, and waited,
thinking.

"Isn't such a bad fellow," he said to himself, as he watched the
captain's son, "but he's getting a little too familiar. He seems to
forget sometimes that I'm an officer; but there, it doesn't much matter,
and it won't last long."

"Well, my lad?" came from the deck.

"All clear, father," was the reply, and as Fitz glanced down he saw Don
Ramon place the cigarette he was holding between his teeth and clap his
hands, while from his crowd of followers who were looking on there
ascended a loud _Viva_!

And the hot day glided on.

There was a fair breeze, and the schooner fairly danced over the
laughing waters, sending shoals of flying-fish skimming out before them,
with their wing-like fins glistening like those of gigantic
dragon-flies, before they dropped back into the sea.

Rations were served out to the eager crowd, and a buzz of conversation
was kept up, to ascend to the two lads, who spent most of their time