"I didn't mean that, sir," said Dick. "I meant it for a present for the doctor. Will you have him as a present, and take care of him?" "Of course I will, Dick, but I don't like taking it." "Why, bless your 'art, Mr Roberts, sir, you'd be doing me a kindness by taking of it. You take it, and you can larn him all sorts of tricks. Why, look at the pretty crittur, how he takes to you!" "Pretty crittur, indeed!" cried Bob. "You mean how he takes to the sugar. Here, come along, old man. Come, rouse up." To Bob's surprise the monkey got up, and came close to him, while upon Dick making a motion as if to refasten the chain, the animal snarled and snapped at him. "There now, look at that," cried Dick. "You see you'll have to take it, Master Roberts, sir." "I'll take him for a day or two," said Bob; "but I expect the skipper won't let me keep it." "Lor' bless you, sir, he'll let you keep it, see if he don't," said the old sailor, and his words proved true. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. HOW BOB ROBERTS WENT A-FISHING. Bob Roberts liked having the monkey, but there was a sore side to the matter; it was unpleasant to hear that the first lieutenant had said that one monkey was enough in the ship, and they did not want two. "It's as good as telling me to my face that I'm a monkey," said Bob to himself. "Now look here, I shall just go and ask him to lend me the dinghy to sit in and fish, and old Dick to manage it; and if he says no, I shall just tell him that his remark about the monkey was precious ungentlemanly." So Bob went up to the first lieutenant and preferred his request, fully anticipating a refusal, but to his surprise the officer in question was all that was urbane and pleasant. "Fishing from the dinghy, eh, Roberts?" he said, smiling. "Yes, sir, I thought I might catch a basket if I fished from the dinghy. I lose so many hauling them up the side into the chains." "To be sure--yes--of course," said the lieutenant. "On one condition, Roberts, you can have it." "What's that, sir?" "Two conditions, I should say," replied the lieutenant. "The boat is to be properly cleaned afterwards, and we are to have a dish of fresh fish for the gun-room dinner." "Certainly, sir," said Bob, laughing, "if I catch them." "You must catch them," said the lieutenant. "Ah, I remember the days when I used to be fond of going up the Thames fishing, and--there, be off with you as soon as you like." The first lieutenant smiled as he felt that he had been about to prose over his old days; and Bob having obtained leave for Dick to be his companion, and to manage the boat if he should elect to go up or down the river, instead of lying astern hitched on to a ring-bolt, was soon over the side, with plenty of hooks and lines and bait. "This here's a rum sorter game, Mr Roberts, sir," said old Dick, as soon as he had fastened the boat's painter to a ring in the stem part of the great steamer. "I'm afraid I shan't be strong enough for the job."