"'Cause all's rough and ready, and folk's tongues gets running too free afore them," I says. And then to myself: "That's one for you, Mr Jalap;" and then I turned towards the sick young man, whose sunken eyes looked brighter, and angry, and jealous like, as he held tight by his sister's arm, and he says: "Come, lady, let's go below. The sailor is right. Drink my health, my man;" and he threw me a shilling. "That I will, sir," I says, as he turned away, though I thought to myself it would want drinking a many times before I could do him any good. The doctor looked rather black at me; but I wouldn't see it, and got down cross-legged at my work, while Tomtit and he lit their cigars, and began walking up and down the deck. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ STORY TWO, CHAPTER THREE. What a wonderful deal a sailor can get to know if he only keeps his eyes and ears open! Of course, I mean aboard ship, where everything is, as you may say, close to your hand. Now, acting after this way, and being a rough, blunt sort of an old fellow--for I always looked old from the time I was forty--people would come and make friends with me, in a fashion, so that I got to know a deal. The doctor would have his chat on things in general, and give me cigars, and by degrees work round to the sick passenger and his case; and I soon could see that though he didn't care a damp about the sick passenger, he took a deal of interest in his case, and I could guess pretty well why. Then Tomtit would come and fold his back, so that he could lean his elbers on the bulwarks, and he'd chatter about his birds, all the while smoothing his hair, and arranging his tie and collar, and brushing specks off his coat, as he kept looking towards the cabin-stairs, to see if some one was coming up; and when--being a thoroughly good-hearted, weak, soft-Tommy sort of a chap--he'd heave a great sigh, I used to shake my head at him, and say as I could see what was the matter with he, it was wonderful how friendly he'd get. "I wouldn't care if I had a few canaries on board," he'd say. "They are such nice birds if you want to make a present to a lady." "Why not try a couple o' doves?" I says. He looked at me as if he meant to do it through and through, but I don't think he got far below the outside rind--mine being rather a thick skin, and I didn't let a single wrinkle squeeze up to look like a smile; so he says, after a minute's thought: "You're right, Roberts," he says; and that night, hang me, if he didn't send me to the cabin with a note, and a cage with a couple of turtle-doves in. He gave me half-a-crown for taking it, and he'd been busy all the afternoon touching up the cage with a bit of ship's paint, that wasn't half dry when I took it; but I brought it back again with me, with Mr and Miss Bell's compliments and thanks, but Mr Bell's health would not bear the noise of the birds.