e spoke too truly. The traders continued
to arrive but slowly, as before, with their oil. The captain waited and
waited like an angler anxious to catch more fish. Before the week was
over the second mate was dead, and we had only two men fit for duty on
board.

CHAPTER FOUR.

MORE VICTIMS TO THE FEVER.--THE CAPTAIN HIMSELF ATTACKED.--WE SHIP SOME
KRUMEN AND OTHER BLACKS, AMONG WHOM IS A CHRISTIAN, PAUL BALINGO.--PAUL
INSTRUCTS THE CAPTAIN AND ME IN THE TRUTH.--CAPTAIN WILLIS GETS SOMEWHAT
BETTER, AND WE PREPARE FOR SEA.

The ship was almost full, and we had a few more empty casks, and were
expecting some traders on board during the day with oil which would fill
them up. When I turned out of my berth, just as morning broke, I found
the captain seated in his cabin, with his head resting on his hands. He
felt a little ill, he acknowledged, but said he was sure it was nothing.
"We will get under weigh at daylight to-morrow morning, when the tide
makes down, and I shall soon be all to rights," he observed. Still, I
could not help remarking that he looked pale, and moved with difficulty.
"I have agreed to ship half-a-dozen Krumen, and two or three other
black seamen, who are knocking about here," he added. "This fever has
made us terribly short-handed; but I hope the fellows who are sick will
come round when we are in blue water again. Harry, go forward and see
how they are getting on, and send Tom Raven to me." Raven was one of
the two men who had hitherto escaped the lever, and being a good seaman,
had been promoted to the rank of mate.

I went on deck, but saw neither him nor Grinham, the other man. I made
my way forward to where the crew were berthed, under the topgallant
forecastle, expecting to find them there. Grinham was in his berth; he
and two other poor fellows were groaning and tossing with fever, but the
rest were perfectly quiet. I thought they were asleep. What was my
horror, on looking into their berths, to find that their sleep was that
of death!

"Water, water," murmured Grinham. I ran and fetched some, and as I gave
it to him I asked where Raven was. "I don't know," he answered,
somewhat revived by the cool draught. "It's his watch on deck. He said
he felt a little ill when he relieved me."

Having done what I could for the other man, I went to look for Raven. I
found him in the second mate's berth. He too was ill with fever, and
seemed to have forgotten that he ought to have b