done that a purpose,' and before I
could speak he caught up the bucket by the handle and brought it down on
my head with all his might. The next thing I remember was, I was lying
in a bunk in the forecastle. Everything looked strange to me, and I
couldn't raise my head. After a time I made shift to turn it round, and
saw old Jans sitting on a chest mending a jacket. I called him, but my
voice was so low I hardly seemed to hear it myself.

"'Ah, my leetle boy!' he said, 'I am glad to hear you speak again. Two
whole weeks you say nothing except talk nonsense.'

"'Have I been ill?' I asked.

"'You haf been vera bad,' he said. 'De captain meant to kill you, I haf
no doubt, and he pretty near do it. After he knock you down he said you
dead. He sorry for accident, not mean to hit you so hard, but you dead
and better be tossed overboard at once. De mates they come up and take
your hands and feet. Den I insist dat I feel your wrist. Two or three of
us dey stood by me. Captain he vera angry, say we mutinous dogs. I say
not mutinous, but wasn't going to see a boy who was only stunned thrown
overboard. We say if he did dat we make complaint before consul when we
get to port. De skipper he cuss and swear awful. Howebber we haf our way
and carry you here. You haf fever and near die. Tree days after we
bring you here de captain he swear you shamming and comed to look at you
hisself, but he see that it true and tink you going to die. He go away
wid smile on his face. Every day he ask if you alive, and give grunt
when I say yes. Now you best keep vera quiet. You no talk 'cept when no
one else here but me. Other times lie wid your face to the side and your
eyes shut. Best keep you here as long as we can, de longer de better. He
make you come on deck and work as soon as he think you strong enough to
stand. Best get pretty strong before you go out.'

"For another three weeks I lay in my bunk. I only ate a little gruel
when others were there, but when the skipper was at dinner Jans would
bring me strong soup and meat from the caboose. The captain came several
times and shook me and swore I was shamming, but I only answered in a
whisper and seemed as faint as a girl. All this time the Potomac was
making good way, and was running fast down the coast of South America.
The air was getting cool and fresh.

"'I tink,' Jans said one evening to me, 'dat dis not go on much much
longer. De crew getting desperate. Dey talk and mutter among demsel