"Oh, all right," I said, setting the plate and biscuit down on the locker, though feeling all the time as if I should like to take it back. "Laugh away; you don't look so very beautiful, Mr Pirate Lieutenant." He gave an angry start, and the smile changed to a savage frown, which did not improve a pair of terribly black eyes and a cut and swollen lip. But I was ready to give him quite as defiant a look as I opened the door, and then going out I re-locked him in, and went back to my place, ready for some more of the kangaroo stew. "Well, was he very grateful?" said Mr Brymer. I shook my head, and finished my dinner in silence, listening the while to the men, who were singing uproariously. "Your prescription seems to agree with them, Mr Frewen," said the mate significantly, as we all rose. "Yes; but wait a wee, as the Scotch folk say." "Yes, up by the forecastle," said the mate. "Put your pistols in your pockets, and we'll keep watch and listen to the effects of the drug while the men have their meal. Dale, my lad, take Blane at the wheel a portion, while I send the others to have theirs." I hastily obeyed, taking a pretty good ration for Barney Blane, who must have been having pretty good sniffs of the savoury food to slacken his appetite, and he grinned hugely as he saw me approach. "That's your sort, sir; I was getting hungry." "Can you eat and steer too, Barney?" I said. "Can I eat and steer too?" he cried. "You just set that theer on the binnacle, sir, and come back in ten minutes and see." "I will, Barney," I said, "and bring you some grog too." "And I'll say you're a real gentleman, Mr Dale, sir, that I will, and drink your health." "You shall, Barney," I said, turning to go. "But I say, sir, ain't they pretty lively down in the forksle?" "Yes, very." "What did you serve out? Were it rum?" "No, Barney, soup," I said; "but wait a bit and they won't be quite so merry." "No, sir, they won't. It's unlimited grog, for they've got plenty down below; but, as you say, wait a bit. They will have done by-and-by." "They will," I said to myself, with a faint shiver of nervousness coming over me again as I descended the ladder, just as, relieved from duty, Bob Hampton and Neb Dumlow came aft. "In with you," I said, "and eat away. The others coming?" "No, Mr Dale, sir; they've been having their snack along with the cook in the galley, and got it done." "The more for you then," I said, trying to laugh, but feeling very serious indeed. They entered on tip-toe as if afraid of disturbing the captain and Miss Denning, and directly after were eating ravenously at the remainder of the meal.