_ CHAPTER TWENTY. IN THE DOCTOR'S HANDS
Before the two middies had completed their change there was a tap at the cabin door, and in answer to the "Come in" Tom May's head was thrust through the opening, his face puckered up into a friendly grin.
"Getting all right again, gentlemen?" he said.
"Oh yes, Tom," cried Roberts excitedly, and he eagerly held out his hand, and catching the sailor by the shoulder dragged him inside. "I wanted to see you, Tom, and thank you for saving my life."
"For what, sir?" said Tom sharply.
"For so bravely saving my life."
"Oh, I say, sir," grumbled the man, speaking bashfully, "if I'd ha' knowed as you was going on like that I'm blessed if I'd ha' come down."
"Why, there was nothing to be ashamed of, Tom," said Murray warmly.
"Oh no, sir; I warn't ashamed to come down. I were on'y too glad to say a word to Mr Roberts like and see him come round."
"I'm glad too," said Murray; "and he feels very grateful to you for being so brave."
"I warn't brave, Mr Murray, sir. I did nowt. It was you--it was him, Mr Roberts, sir. He sings out, 'Man overboard!' and takes a header arter you, and what was I to do? He's my orficer, sir, and I was obliged to go arter him. You sees that?"
"Yes, yes, Tom," cried Roberts warmly. "He acted very bravely."
"Oh, drop it!" cried Murray.
"Course he did, sir," said the sailor. "I on'y obeyed orders."
"Will you both drop it!" cried Murray angrily. "What's the use of making a fuss about nothing? You're all right again, Tom?"
"Me, sir? Right as ninepence. Never had nowt the matter with me. 'Sides," continued the man, with a grin, "I had the doctor to look at me."
"Oh, I say," said Roberts eagerly, "he didn't give you any of his stuff, did he?"
"No, sir; but he wanted to."
"What did he say?"
"Said it would keep off the chill."
"Yes, and what then?" said the lads, in a breath.
"I telled him, gentlemen, that the first luff had sent Mr Snelling the purser to me with a dose, and he just grunted at me and went up again. Oh, I'm all right enough. What about you, Mr Roberts, sir?"
"Thanks to you, Tom, I'm just as you say you are. But what about that fish?"
"Oh, it's in the pot by now. The cook says it's the biggest albicore he ever see in his life, and for sartain, gentlemen, I never see one much more than half as big. There's bigger ones, of course, somewheres, but I never see one speared afore as would touch him. But I say, Mr Roberts, sir," continued the man, "you do feel all right again, don't you?"
"Oh yes, quite right, Tom; only a little bit achey about the back of the neck."
"Course you do, sir. I felt like that both times when I got pretty nigh drownded. That's 'cause you throws your head so far back, and it strains your muscles, sir. But never mind that, sir. It'll soon go off. I was going to say, sir, if you felt right enough I should punish that there fish pretty hard."
"I will, Tom," said the lad merrily; and the man went on deck.
"Ready?" said Murray, as he finished dressing.
"Yes, I'm ready, and at the same time I don't feel so," was the reply.
"Don't feel coming on poorly, do you?"
"Oh no," replied Roberts, "but I don't much care about going on deck again."
"Why not?"
"There's the skipper, and old Anderson; they're both sure to begin to grumble now."
"Oh no! I don't think they'll say anything."
"Well, you'll see," said Roberts decisively; and the lad proved to be right when the pair went on deck, for no sooner did they appear than the first lieutenant, who was forward with the men, giving some instructions, caught sight of them and began to approach.
"Look at that," whispered Roberts.
"Yes, and look at that, Dick," whispered Murray. For the captain, who was on the quarter-deck, had apparently caught sight of them at the same time, and began to make for them.
There was no retreat, for the lieutenant would have met them. But it so happened that the latter saw his chief approaching and returned at once to the group of sailors, leaving the captain to have the first words.
"You're right, Dick," whispered Murray. "Now for a wigging!"
"Well, young gentlemen," saluted them the next minute; "what have you to say for yourselves?"
"Thank you, sir," said Murray, drawing himself up and saluting, "we're not a bit the worse for our little adventure."
"Humph!" ejaculated the captain, looking at him sternly. "None the worse, eh?"
"No, sir, not a bit, and I don't think Roberts is; eh, Roberts?"
"Perhaps not, Mr Murray; but perhaps you will allow me to question Mr Roberts."
"I beg your pardon, sir," said Murray, colouring warmly.
"I do not grant it, sir," said the captain stiffly; "and perhaps you will be good enough to bear in mind what are our relative positions-- those of commander of this sloop of war and very junior officer. Now, Mr Roberts," continued the captain sternly, as he half turned his back to Murray, "what have you to say for yourself?"
"Only that I'm very sorry to have been the cause of the trouble, sir."
"Humph! That's better," said the captain, "if your sorrow is real."
"Oh yes, sir; it's quite real, sir," said the youth hurriedly.
"Indeed! Well, I have my doubts, sir."
"But it really was quite an accident, sir," cried Roberts excitedly.
"Well, do you suppose, Mr Roberts, that I give you credit for purposely hitching yourself on to that fish and trying to get yourself drowned?"
"Oh no, sir; of course not."
"Don't interrupt me, Mr Roberts," said the captain sourly.
"Why, you asked me a question," thought the lad, "and I was only answering you;" and he turned very red in the face.
"I have been talking to Mr Anderson about this business, and he tells me that you both came worrying him for permission to use the grains and to waste your time trying to harpoon these fish that were playing about the bows, eh?"
"It was I, sir, who went to ask Mr Anderson for leave."
"I was not addressing you, Mr Murray," said the captain coldly; and then he continued: "Mr Anderson tells me that he put before you the fact that you would both have been better employed in continuing your studies of navigation. Now, you neither of you had the candour to tell me this. Anything but work, gentlemen, and the display of a determination to master your profession and grow worthy of trust, with the possibility of some day becoming worthy of taking charge of a vessel. I consider that you both--I say both, Mr Murray--took advantage of my kindly disposition and obtained the permission that Mr Anderson would have very properly withheld. Now look at the consequences of your folly; one of you was nearly drowned; the other was almost the cause of my losing one of my most valuable seamen in his efforts to save your lives; and the discipline of my ship is completely upset--a boat has to be launched, the doctor called upon to resuscitate one of you; and now what have you to say for yourselves? Nothing, but give me the paltry excuse of this being an accident. I tell you, gentlemen, that it cannot be considered an accident or mischance, for I look upon it as being a wilful disregard of your duties, and--er--er-- that will do."
The captain put his hands behind his back and stalked off, leaving the two lads looking at each other.
"That's nice," said Murray, in a whisper.
"Lovely!" whispered back Roberts.
"And this isn't the worst of it," said Murray softly; "here comes Anderson."
"Oh, I do feel so bad!" muttered Roberts. "I'll tell him so."
"Well, young gentlemen," said the lieutenant, coming up, "I hope the captain has taken you both well to task."
"Yes, sir, he has," said Murray, with a drily comical look upon his countenance. "I'm sure if you had heard him you wouldn't think it necessary to say another word."
The lieutenant gave the lad a severe look, frowning hard, and he was evidently about to say something sharp, but after being silent for a few moments his face relaxed and he smiled pleasantly.
"Well," he said, turning again to Murray, "I will take it for granted that you have both had a thoroughly good talking to, and I will say no more."
"Thank you, sir," said Murray, with a sigh of relief.
The lieutenant turned upon him sharply.
"Yes," he said, "I suppose you do mean that. Well, Mr Roberts, I hope you feel none the worse?"
"No, sir; yes, sir, I--no sir, not at all the worse."
"I am glad of it. But you had a very narrow escape. Your life was saved by Murray's bravery. A very gallant action, my lad--manly and brave; but no more of such gallant actions, if you please. I have quite enough responsibilities in connection with my duties on this ship without being worried with a pack of boys risking their lives for the sake of catching a fish or two, so let me have no more of it. Do you hear? There, you need not speak."
The lieutenant turned short round and marched away frowning, leaving the lads looking at one another for a few minutes, before Murray whispered, "Come along forward," with the result that they made for a favourite spot where, well out of sight of the quarter-deck, they could rest their folded arms upon the rail and gaze down into the transparent water which glided by the sloop's cut-water with hardly a ripple, so soft was the breeze which filled the crowd of canvas that had been set.
"I thought we should get it," said Roberts, after a few minutes' silence.
"Oh, never mind, old chap," said his companion quietly. "You got off pretty easy."
"I did? Oh, come; it was you who got off easy. 'A very gallant act,' didn't he say?"
"Something of the kind."
"Yes; 'a very gallant act.' You always get the praise, Frank," said Roberts gloomily. "It has always been so ever since we joined. One is expected to devote himself in every way possible to learning one's profession, and for reward one gets bullied and blamed for pretty well everything. Nobody ever told me that I had performed a very gallant act."
"Well, look here, what do you say to me tumbling overboard so that you can come over after me and save my life?"
"Bother! Look here, Frank, if you can't talk sense you'd better hold your tongue."
"If I did you'd only get more rusty. I say, Dick, I once read about a fellow being saved from drowning."
"Me, of course," interrupted Roberts, in an angry tone. "What are you up to now--fishing for praise of your 'gallant act'?"
"Not likely," was the reply, good-humouredly. "I was going to tell you about some one who was saved from drowning."
"Well, you needn't. I know all about it now, thank you, and I don't want to hear."
"Never mind, old chap; I want to tell you, and it's very interesting and quite true."
Roberts grunted and gave himself a hitch so as to turn half away from his companion and stand staring away to sea.
"It said that when the poor fellow was on the deck again--you see, he had fallen from the yard and they had to lower down a boat so as to get him aboard, and when they did he seemed to be quite dead--same as you did."
"Tchah! Nothing of the kind. I was only a bit insensible."
"Well, you were quite bad enough," said Murray, "and the doctor had to bring you round same as this chap; and when he was able to sit up and talk it was quite curious--"
"I don't see anything curious about a half-drowned chap coming to and being able to talk."
"No," said Murray, smiling, as he watched his companion intently, "but that wasn't the curious part."
"Well, then, what was? Oh, I say, I do wish you wouldn't keep on prosing about what nobody wants to hear. There, go on and get it finished."
"All right; don't hurry a fellow," said Murray. "I can't dash off things as quickly as you can."
Roberts wrenched himself round so that he could look fiercely at his companion, and he spoke with quite an angry snap.
"Is that meant for a sneer?" he said.
"No, my son; not a bit of it, unless it contains just a go at myself for being so slow."
"Ho!" ejaculated Roberts. "Well, what's the curious thing about your chap who had been nearly drowned?"
"They brought him to--" said Murray deliberately.
Roberts gave himself an angry jerk and reached out his hand to snatch at a marlin-spike stuck just beneath the rail.
"What's the matter now?" asked Murray.
"You'll know directly if you don't finish your twaddling stuff. You told me all that before," cried the lad irritably.
"Did I? Well, you keep on interrupting me so."
"There, go on."
"All right," continued Murray, in the most imperturbable way. "Well, as I was saying, that when they brought the poor fellow round--"
"Bravo, oh prince of story-tellers!" cried Roberts sneeringly. "They brought him round, did they? I wonder he didn't stop drowned if he was surrounded by people who kept on prosing like you are."
"Well, he didn't," said Murray coolly; "they brought him round."
"Here, Frank, old chap," cried Roberts, with mock interest, "it's as well to be quite certain when you are making history--are you sure that they didn't bring him square?"
"Oh yes, quite," said Murray quietly; "they brought him round, and it was remarkable what an effect it had upon his temper."
Roberts turned upon him again quite fiercely.
"He seemed to have turned acid right through, and snapped and snarled at those about him; and then--"
"Now, look here, young fellow," cried Roberts, interrupting his companion, "I'm not all a fool, Frank Murray, and I can see quite plainly enough that this is all meant for a go at me. Do you mean to tell me that I have turned upon every one to snap and snarl at them? Because if you do, say so like a man."
"Well, old chap--" began Murray, smiling.
"Oh, you do, do you? You've made up your mind to quarrel with me, have you? Very well, sir. I don't want to be on good terms with a fellow who, in spite of the way in which I have made myself his friend ever since he joined, is determined to--determined to--Here, this is beyond bearing, sir. We're too big now to settle our quarrels, like a couple of schoolboys, with our fists, but the wretched state in which we are compelled to exist by the captain's absurd prejudices against settling a dispute in a gentlemanly way compels one to put off all consideration of age and position; so come down below. We can easily get to where the men will take care that we are not interrupted by the officers; and if I don't give you the biggest thrashing you ever had, it's because I am weak from the effects of that accident and being dragged under water for so long. Now then, come on, and--don't irritate me any more by grinning in that absurd way, or I shall strike you before you put up your hands on guard, and then--"
The lad, who was gazing wildly at his companion, stopped short, for, half startled now by his brother middy's manner, Murray had laid his hand upon his arm.
"Steady, Dick," he said quietly. "You're not yourself, old chap. I didn't mean to irritate you. Don't go on like that; here's the doctor coming forward, and I don't want him to come and see you now."
These words wrought a complete change, for to Murray's surprise the agitated lad slipped his wrist free, and brought his hand down firmly upon that of his companion, to close it in a firm grip.
"Here, Frank," he whispered, "don't take any notice of what I said. I couldn't help it. I don't know what has come to me. I must be like the fellow you were talking about, and if the doctor knows, I feel--I'm sure that I shall be much worse."
"Hist! Keep quiet. Let's be looking at the fish. Look at that."
He pointed downward through the clear water, and making an effort Roberts leaned over the rail.
"Yes; I see," he said huskily. "A shark, sure enough."
"Yes; only a little one, though," said Murray aloud. "I say, isn't it curious how those brutes can keep themselves just at a certain depth below the keel, and go on swimming easily at just the same rate as we are going, without seeming to make any effort!"
"Yes, very strange; very, very strange," said Roberts loudly, and with his voice sounding husky and faint. "Hah!" he ejaculated, at last, in a tone of relief. "He's not coming here." For the doctor had suddenly caught sight of Titely and crossed the deck to speak to the man.
"No, he's not coming here," said Murray quietly.
"I oughtn't to be afraid to meet the old fellow, though, Frank," said Roberts, with a sigh, "for I must be ill to turn like that."
"Not ill, old chap," said Murray quietly. "Come on down below."
"Then you think I'm bad?" whispered the midshipman, turning upon his companion sharply.
"Not bad, but upset by the accident."
"And nearly losing my life," whispered Roberts.
"Yes, that's it. Come down and take off your jacket."
"Not to fight," said the lad bitterly. "Oh, Franky! And after you had just saved my life! I must have been half mad, old chap."
"Bah! Drop it, Dick," said Murray quietly. "You come down, and turn into your berth."
"Yes; for a good nap."
"That's right, old chap. Have a good snooze if you can; but don't mind if you can't get to sleep. I'll open the port-hole as wide as possible so as to get as much cool air as I can into the place. All you want is rest. You don't want the doctor."
"No; that's right; I don't want the doctor." And then, eagerly taking his companion's arm, the lad permitted himself to be led below, where he threw off his jacket and turned into his cot with a sigh of relief.
"Ah," he said, "that's better! Never mind me now. Go up on deck, and if any one asks about me say I'm having a sleep after the ducking."
"All right," replied Murray, and he saw in the semi-darkness that the middy had closed his eyes tightly but seemed to have to make an effort to keep the quivering and twitching lids still.
"I say, Franky," came from the cot, after a short pause.
"Well?"
"You're not gone on deck."
"No, not yet. Come, off you go. Like a glass of water?"
"No! No water."
"Well, what is it?"
"I only wanted to say something, Frank," whispered the poor fellow, in a faltering voice.
"Better not, old chap. You want rest, and not to bother your brain with talking."
"Thank you, doctor," said the lad, with a faint smile. "Why, you're ever so much better than old Reston. Yes, I want sleep, for my head seems to be all of a buzz; but I must say something before I can get off."
"Well, then, look sharp and say it. Well, what is it?"
"Only this, Franky, old fellow--"
"Well, what is it?" said Murray, after the pause which followed the last words. "There, let it go; I'm sure it will keep."
"No, no," whispered the lad excitedly. "It won't keep. I feel as if I can't bear to say it, and yet that I can't bear to keep it back. There, that sounds half mad, doesn't it? I--I--"
"Is it anything to do with what you said to me a bit ago?"
"Hah! Thank you, old fellow; you've made me feel as if I could say it now," whispered the lad hoarsely. "Franky, I feel as if I've been an ungrateful beast to you."
"Hold hard, Dick," said Murray quickly; and he laid his hand upon the one lying close to the edge of the cot. "I understand how hard it must be for you to talk about it, and it's just as hard for me to listen. So look here, Dick. You haven't been yourself, lad; when a fellow's a bit off his head he isn't accountable for what he says. I know; so look here. Am I hurt and annoyed by what you said? Not a bit of it. That's right, isn't it?" he continued, as his hand closed firmly upon that of the half hysterical lad. "You know what that means, don't you?"
"Hah! Yes!" sighed the lad gently; and it sounded to Murray as if a tremendous weight had been lifted off the poor fellow's breast.
"Then now you can go to sleep, and when you wake up again I hope you will have forgotten all about it, for that's what I mean to as a matter of course, and--How rum!" said the lad to himself, for the hand that had been returning his pressure had slowly slackened its grasp and lay perfectly inert in his. "Why, he must be asleep! Well, I shall soon know."
As the lad thought this he loosened his own grasp, and the next minute was able to slip his fingers away. Directly after he drew back a little more, and quietly rose from the locker upon which he had been seated close to his companion's side with his back to the cabin stairs.
Then turning to go up on deck, Murray started to find himself face to face with the doctor, who had followed the lads down and stepped in without being heard.
"Asleep?"
Murray pointed to the occupant of the cot without a word, and the doctor bent low and then drew back.
"That's good," he whispered. "It was a nasty shock for the poor fellow, but there's nothing for me to do, my lad. A few hours' sleep will quite set him right. I like this, though, Murray," he continued, laying his hand upon the lad's shoulder and giving it a friendly grip. "You boys are thoughtless young dogs sometimes, but this sort of thing shows that you have got the right stuff in you--the right feeling for one another."
"Oh, I say, doctor, don't!" whispered Murray.
"Not going to, much," said the gentleman addressed. "I'm a rough fellow sometimes, I know, but I notice a deal, and I like to see a bit of feeling shown at the right moment. You don't know how it pleases me when one of our foremast fellows has been laid aside, and I see that a messmate has sneaked down to keep him company, and take care that he is not short of tobacco to chew--Hang him for trying to poison a man who would be far better without it!--Yes, looks as guilty as can be, and quite shamefaced at having been caught playing the nurse. It shows that the dog has got the true man in him, Murray, and though I don't let them see that I notice anything I like it more than you think. There, Roberts is all right," said the doctor gruffly, "but don't stop here breathing up the cool air I want for my patient. Come on deck, my lad; come on deck." _