I felt myself laid down while something was done close to me, and then I was lifted once more and carried out into the warm sunshine, and laid upon the hot boards of the deck. "Poor laddie," growled Bob Hampton, "he's got it badly. Rum world this here, Neb!" "Orful," said Dumlow. "Reg'lar wusser," said another voice, which I knew to be Blane's. "Look sharp there, my lads," cried Jarette, from somewhere overhead, which must have been the poop-deck. "That one dead?" "Ay, ay, sir." "You're a liar, Barney Blane." "If he's dead, pitch him overboard." "But he arn't dead, captain," growled Bob Hampton. "There's stuff enough in him to make a full-sized sailor yet, and he's far too good to be chucked over to the sharkses." "But Barney Blane said he was dead." "Don't you take no notice o' what Barney Blane says, skipper," cried Dumlow. "He dunno chalk from cheese best o' times, and I know he can't tell a dead man from mutton." "Hear, hear, mate!" cried Bob Hampton. "Haw, haw, haw; we'll chuck the boy overboard if you like, capt'n; but there's a kick in one of his hind legs, an' I see him wink and waggle one ear." "Let him lie there a bit till I come round," cried Jarette. "You go on and clear that cabin." "Ay, ay," cried the three men who were near. "Come on, lads. Here, Barney, go and get that there pannikin o' water from the breaker, and pour some in the boy's mouth. What yer go and say he were dead for?" "Well, mate, I thought as he were. He had enough to ha' killed a man, let alone a boy." "You look sharp, and we'll pull him and the doctor through, see if we don't. I don't think no bones is broke. Them chesties sheltered 'em." Then I felt water being trickled into my mouth and some poured over my forehead, while, though I could neither move nor speak, I heard Jarette's voice giving orders apparently ever so far away. "Look sharp, lads," said Bob Hampton, "or Frog-soup 'll be back and bully us." "Must give the jollop purser a drop more," said Dumlow. "Here, he arn't dead neither; takes the water down as free as if it were grog. They'll come right agen, won't they?" "Ay, to be sure," said Bob Hampton. "Now then, heave ahead afore he comes. Rum games these here, messmets." "Rum arn't the right word," said Dumlow, and then all was perfectly still again, and I lay there wondering what was the matter, and why I couldn't think as I should, and make out why I was lying there on my back in the hot sun listening to a low moaning sound, and some one close to my ear talking in a muttering tone. Then there was silence again for I don't know how long: before there was another low moan, and the voice close by me muttered-- "Oh, for more strength--could have saved--" The words died out, and I lay there wondering still. Then I felt that people were coming near me, and stopped talking together. I must have grown a little more sensible then, for I recognised the voices as some one gave me a rude thrust with the foot.