It seemed to me then that Mr Preddle was managing so as to get up to where Mr Denning sat with his sister, and the next minute they were abreast of them, and the captain said in his bluff way-- "There, Mr Denning, another of your fellow-passengers has found out the advantage of coming on deck." "Yes," said Mr Preddle, hastily, as he took off his cap to Miss Denning, and then bowed to her brother. "So fresh and bright after the clo--clo--clo--Oh dear me!" I was obliged to laugh, and though Mr Denning looked angry, I saw Miss Denning turn away to hide a smile, for the captain and Mr Brymer laughed as merrily as I did. And no wonder, for just as Mr Preddle was bowing and smiling and talking hurriedly, the ship gave another sudden lurch; he made a wild grasp at the captain, missed him; another at Mr Denning's chair; and then sat down involuntarily on the deck, to look up ruefully at me, his eyes seeming to say, "Oh, how can you laugh!" "All right, sir, not hurt, I hope?" said the captain, and he and the first mate helped our stout passenger to rise. "No, not at all, thanks; sadly awkward though at first," he said, rather piteously. "Mr Dale--would you mind?" I hurriedly offered him my arm, and he gave a quick look round. "A little weak and giddy," he continued, with his eyes resting on Miss Denning, who held out her hand, and in a quiet sweet way, said-- "Yes, we have been rather unwell too. I turned quite giddy once." Mr Denning looked at her angrily, and Mr Preddle shook hands very awkwardly before walking away with me, and as I helped him down the ladder, he said in a whisper-- "Are they all laughing at me? Look." "Oh no," I said, after a hasty glance. "I'm afraid we were all very rude, but every one meets with these accidents at sea." I fancied he muttered something about "disgraced," but he was very silent, and hardly noticed the men who touched their caps to him as we went forward, where he stayed with the fish for a few minutes, and lifted out a couple which lay floating wrong side up, with a tiny landing-net; and then walked back without me towards his cabin. I let him get nearly to the companion-way, and then ran after him with my face burning. "I beg your pardon for laughing at you, Mr Preddle," I said. He turned his piteous face toward me, and smiled in a simple, good-natured way, as he held out his hand. "You couldn't help it," he said; "I suppose I did look very ridiculous. It's because I'm so stout; p'r'aps being at sea will take it down." He nodded and went on, leaving me thinking. It was awkward, just too as he wanted to show how well he was. Then I started and looked round, for some one clapped me on the shoulder. "You and Mr Preddle seem to be getting capital friends, Dale; how smart he had made himself look!" "Yes, sir," I said; "but he had quite an accident on deck," and I looked half-smilingly in the young doctor's face, for it was he. "Accident? Hurt?" he said, eagerly.