e can give me will do that,"
answered the captain.

The doctor had turned in, but immediately rose on being summoned by
Owen. He brought some medicine with him, which he at once gave to the
captain on feeling his pulse.

"You are a brave man, Captain Aggett," he said, "I will not disguise the
truth from you. You are sinking. Any worldly matters you have to
arrange should be settled without delay."

"I have done that already, doctor," answered the captain, in a weak
voice. "Who has the watch, Owen?"

"The third mate, sir," he answered.

"I will see the first and second mates then, as soon as they have
finished their observations. Go and call them, Owen," said the captain.

Owen hurried on deck. The second mate, with the assistance of the
third, had just taken a satisfactory observation.

Owen told Mr Grey that the captain wished to see him, but Mr Scoones
had not made his appearance on deck. Owen found him in his berth, and
gave him the captain's message.

"Dying, is he? That's the lot of all men," observed the mate in an
indifferent tone.

Owen saw that, although not tipsy, he had been drinking, but hoped that
the captain's last words would have a good effect. He therefore said--

"Come, sir, quickly, or I fear that Captain Aggett may be dead before
you get to him."

Unwilling to be absent longer than possible, he then hastened back to
the cabin. The second mate was with the captain, who was weaker than
before, although perfectly composed. He had been bidding Mr Grey
farewell, and had been sending a few parting words to the officers and
crew. The first mate soon appeared.

"I wish to say good-bye, Mr Scoones," said the captain. "I am anxious
about one point, and you will pardon me if I tell you what it is. I
know you to be a first-rate seaman; you are one of those who never order
a man to do what you are not ready to do yourself; but you are not a
good navigator, for I have several times found that you have made
mistakes in your calculations. I wish, therefore, when you take command
of this ship that you should trust to Mr Grey's and Owen Hartley's
calculations. Owen has had the advantage of a careful training, so that
you have no cause to be jealous of him."

"They may be the best calculators in the world for what I care,"
answered the first mate, roughly; "but I will back Jonas Scoones to take
a ship round the world with any man alive, so do not trouble yourself on
that point, Captain