"Keep tight hold," I cried to my companion, who was holding the head of the fish by a loop of yarn passed through its gills, while I carried it by getting a good grip of the thin tail. "Do you want to carry it yourself?" "Not at all. Too heavy." Just then the fish began to quiver as if it were all steel spring, and waggled its tail so sharply that it flung off my grasp, and once more I offended Walters, for the fish fell across his feet. "There!" he cried, "you can't deny that. You did it on purpose. A filthy, slimy thing!" As he stood there with both his hands clenched I thought he was going to strike me; but even if he had it would have made no difference, I should have been obliged to laugh, and laugh I did, till as I was wiping my eyes I found that Jarette the French sailor was close up and looking at me keenly. "Here, Barney Blane," I said, "take hold." The man grinned and came and helped me bear it away to the cook, after which I put away the tackle, hanging it to dry before giving it back to its owner. CHAPTER NINE. All at once, just as our life at sea was as calm and peaceful as could be, Captain Berriman grew quite queer in his manner. He was pleasant enough to the passengers, and I never had an unkind word from him, but he was most tyrannical to a number of the men, ordering them about, making them set fresh sail, take it down, and altering his orders half-a-dozen times over, till the men used to go about muttering, and more than once I heard words spoken about him that were startling, to say the least. One evening when it was very dark, the moon not having risen, I was looking over the side and down into the calm, black water which was as full of tiny specks of light as the sky above me, and every now and then these little glittering points beneath the surface would be driven here and there as if a fish had swum sharply by. It was all so beautiful, to watch point after point gliding about lower and lower till all was jet black, that I had forgotten everything, heard nothing, till all at once just behind me I heard Mr Brymer say-- "Of course it is very unpleasant for me. I'm afraid the men will not stand much more of it. Do you think he is going mad?" There was a pause for a few moments, and then Mr Frewen said-- "No; I feel sure that it is only a temporary trouble due to the heat and over-anxiety about the ship." "But he is getting worse; and twice over to-day I felt as if I ought to shut him up in his cabin and take charge altogether." "No, I should not do that," said Mr Frewen, "so long as nothing serious goes wrong. If he really gets too bad, I suppose I must help you by justifying your proceedings in superseding him." "For the owners' sake, of course." "Of course. It is a very serious position for us both. But there, he may be better to-morrow. If not, we must hope for the improvement when we get further south." "Then you would not take command?" "Certainly not, under the present circumstances."