Part 20 (1/2)
The two lads shook hands.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
LAND HO!
Two days pa.s.sed, during which time Fitz kept to his cabin, and towards evening Poole came down, to find the middy seated with his back to the door gazing through the cabin-window at what seemed to be a beautiful blue cloud low-down on the horizon.
”Hullo!” cried Poole cheerily. ”You can see it, then?”
”Yes,” said Fitz, without looking round. ”That's land, I suppose.”
”Yes, that's one of the islands; but look here, what's the good of going on like this?”
”If I choose to sit at my prison-window and look out for the islands, I suppose I have a right to do so,” said Fitz coldly.
”I say, take care. Recollect you have not quite got your strength up again. Mind you don't fall.”
”May I inquire what you mean?” said Fitz haughtily.
”Of course. I mean, take care you don't tumble off the stilts now you have got on to them again.”
”Bah!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the boy.
”Well, what's the good of going on like that, sulking and pretending you are a prisoner?”
”There's no pretence in that,” said Fitz bitterly.
”Yes, there is,” retorted Poole quickly. ”It's all shammon and gam--I mean, gammon and sham. You are no more a prisoner than I am. Why, even father says you seem to be riding the high horse. I suppose you do feel a bit awkward about coming on deck amongst the men, after going through that--I mean, after what happened.”
”Oh, say it!” cried Fitz angrily. ”After going through that performance, you meant.”
”I am not going to argue and fence. Look here, you have got to face the men, so why not make a plunge and do it? You think the lads will be winking and exchanging glances and whispering to one another, when all the time there's only one body on board the _Teal_ who gives all that business a thought, and that's you. Tchah! Sailors have no time to think about what's past. They have always got to keep a sharp look-out for the rocks ahead. You are such a sensitive chap. Come on up, and let's have a turn at fis.h.i.+ng.”
”Is your father quite well again?” said Fitz, without heeding his companion's proposal.
”Oh yes; that was only one of his fits. They come and go.”
”And how's Mr Burgess?”
”Pretty well right again. Come up. Have the gla.s.s. You can see another island astern, one of the little ones, and I think we are going to have one of these lovely tropic sunsets, same as we had last night when you wouldn't come and see it.”
”How can a fellow situated as I am care for sunsets?”
”Just in the same way as he can care for sunrises if he's awake early enough. Oh, do pitch all that up! It has all gone by. But I see how it is. You think that you made a mistake, and that everybody will be ready to laugh at you.”
”And so they will,” cried Fitz pa.s.sionately. ”I can never show my face on deck again.”
”Ha, ha!” laughed Poole. ”Well, you are a rum chap, fancying a thing like that. Why, my father's too much of a gentleman ever to notice it again, and I'm sure old grumpy Burgess wouldn't, from what he said to me when I was telling him all about it afterwards.”
”What!” cried Fitz, flas.h.i.+ng out. ”You went down tale-bearing to the mate like that?”