"Rubbish, Bob Hampton; how could he drink a bucket of salt water?" "Who said anything about drinking it, sir? I meant as lotion, `Outward application only,' as Mr Frewen puts on his bottles o' stuff sometimes." "What! bathe him with salt water?" "Yes, sir, on'y we calls it dowsin'. Sharp and sudden like. Furst dollop fails, give him another, and keep it up till he walks on deck to get dry; then call me to swab up the cabin, and he's all right." "I'll tell Mr Walters what you say, Hampton." "No, sir, I wouldn't do that; 'cause if you do, he'll have his knife into me. I on'y meant it as good advice. He on'y wants rousin' up. Why, if you was to set some of us to rattle a chain over his head, and then make a rash, and you went down and telled him the ship was sinking, he'd be quite well, thank ye, and come on deck and look out for a place in the first boat." "You're too hard upon him," I said, and not liking to hear the man talk in this way, which sounded like an attempt to, what my father used to call, curry favour, I went aft to find that the invalid passenger, Mr John Denning, had been helped out on to the poop-deck by his sister and the steward, and was now having a cane-chair lashed for him close up by the mizzen-mast. He beckoned as he caught sight of me, just as he was being lowered into his place, and I went up slowly, for the captain and Mr Frewen were by his side, and as I approached I heard him say rather irritably-- "Thank you, doctor. If I feel unwell I will ask you to help me. I'm quite right, only half-suffocated by being down so long." "Very good, Mr Denning. I only thought you might wish to avail yourself of my services." "Thank you; yes--of course." I saw Miss Denning look pained, and press her brother's arm. He turned upon her impatiently. "Yes, yes, Lena, I know," he said; "and I have thanked Mr Frewen for his attention. Now I want to be alone." Mr Frewen raised his cap, and walked forward, descending to the main-deck, and the invalid said something angrily to his sister which made her eyes fill with tears. I was passing on, but Mr Denning made a sharp gesture. "No, no, I want you," he cried sharply. "Then I'll say good-morning," said the captain, smiling at Miss Denning. "I only wanted to say I was glad to see you on deck, sir." "Thank you, captain; but don't go. I can't help being a bit irritable; I've had so much to do with doctors that I hate them." "John, dear!" "Well, so I do, Lena. I was dying for want of some fresh air, and as soon as I get on deck, captain, down swoops the doctor as if he were a vulture and I was so much carrion." "Oh, come, come, my lad, you won't talk like that when you've been on deck a bit. Nothing like fresh air, sir. Keep yourself warm, though, and we mustn't have you wet." "Now, captain, don't, pray," cried the invalid.