Part 7 (1/2)
”I'm very, very sorry, Mr Handsob,” whispered Steve, as the captain walked away ”I didn't htly, only to look as if I were not a coward”
”Yes, yes, I understand, my lad,” was the reply; ”but it is a lesson to you I wouldn't go through those ain for a thousand pounds
Why, Steve, my lad, I saw, as if in a flash, a funeral at sea, our trip at an end, and poor Captain Marsha that he was to blame for your death”
”Oh, I say, Mr Handsob, don't talk like that!” whispered Steve
”Was it really so bad?”
”Bad, sir! Why, what do you think you are made of--india-rubber? Did you suppose that you would drop on to the deck and bounce up again, to come down then on your feet and strike an attitude like a clown in a pantomime? I haven't patience with you!”
”I'ain
”Not half so sorry as we should have been,” said the doctor testily
”But there, I don't know; it would have been a good riddance Boys are more bother than they are worth, especially consequential and conceited boys, like you are Hullo! what are you putting your hand there for?
Not hurt?”
”I--I don't know,” said Steve, pressing both hands to his side ”Yes, I do; it hurts horribly”
”But you didn't fall”
”No; Johannes struck ripped the flesh Feels as if he had broken my ribs”
”How do you know, sir? You never had any ribs broken, did you?”
”No,” replied Steve; ”but it feels as one would suppose ribs would feel if they were broken”
”Bah! You don't know anything about it That's why I called you conceited Here, come down into the cabin”
He took Steve by the ar there, too?”
”I don't know,” said Steve in an altered tone ”I don't know anything, only that I'm so horribly conceited If I did, I should say ,” said the doctor, changing his tone ”There, ave ot over it yet”
He led the way toward the cabin; but before they reached the co very stern Then he, too, altered his manner
”What is it?” he said anxiously ”Steve is not hurt?”
”Notdown to see”
”I hope not,” said the captain quickly; and his eyes met Steve's as, without another word, he quietly held out his hand
It was a very sireat deal; and as the lad felt the quiet, firrew more and more, as he had expressed himself, sorry for the pain he had so inadvertently caused
”Now, then,” said the doctor, as soon as he had closed the cabin door, ”I ought to be veryto keeprusty”