g now
of a bluish-purple hue shaded off into green and yellow, so that the
general effect harmonised, as Tom Jerrold unkindly remarked, with his
sandy hair and mottled complexion.

But, my whilom enemy and now friend Sammy must have been amply
indemnified for all this when, at the end of the middle watch, he came
in due course to rouse me out again for another turn of duty, not
knowing that Mr Mackay, as if anticipating what would happen after the
shaking up I had had, had given me leave to lie-in if I liked and "keep
my watch below;" for, when Weeks succeeded in opening the door of the
deck-house, which he did with much difficulty against the opposing
forces of the wind and the water that united to resist his efforts, he
found me completely prostrate and in the very apogee of my misery.

"Hullo, Graham!" he called out, clutching hold of the corner of the
blanket that enveloped one of my limp legs, which was hanging down
almost as inanimate over the side of the bunk, and shaking this latter,
too, as vigorously as he did the blanket. "Rouse out, it's gone eight
bells and the port watch are already on deck, with Mr Mackay swearing
away at a fine rate because you're not there--rouse out with you,
sharp!"

There was no rousing me, however, pull and tug and shake away as much as
he pleased both at my leg and the blanket.

"Leave me alone," I at last managed to say loud enough for him to hear
me. "Mr Mackay told me I needn't turn out unless I felt well enough;
and, oh, Weeks, I do feel so awfully ill!"

"Ill! what's the row with you?"

"I don't know," I feebly murmured. "I think I'm going to die; and I'm
so sorry I hurt your eyes yesterday, they do look so bad."

"Oh, hang my eyes!" replied he hastily, as if he did not like the
subject mentioned; and I don't wonder at this now, when I recollect how
very funny they looked, all green and yellow as if he had a pair of
goggle-eyed spectacles on. "Why can't you turn out? You were well
enough when you called me four hours ago--shamming Abraham, I suppose,--
eh?"

I was too weak, though, to be indignant.

"Indeed I'm not shamming anything," I protested as earnestly as I could,
not quite knowing what his slang phrase meant, but believing it to imply
that I was pretending to be ill to shirk duty when I was all right.
"Weeks, I'm terribly ill, I tell you!"

He scrutinised me as well as he could by the early light of morning, now
coming in through the open cabin door,