"This boy's dead enough," and the words sounded so sharp and cruel that they quite stung me. "I think he is," said another voice, which I knew to be that of Walters. "Oh yes; try him," said the first speaker, Jarette, I was certain. And now as I felt some one take hold of my hand and raise my arm, my full senses seemed to come, and with them an intense feeling of pain. It was just as if the lifting of that arm was connected with something within me which had been stopped up, for as the arm was allowed to drop heavily back, and Walters said callously--"Yes; he's dead enough," I shouted as loudly as I could--"No, I'm not!" and opened my eyes to stare up at the group on deck. There was a hearty burst of laughter at this, and I suppose it was partly directed at Walters, who sprang up as sharply as if I had bitten him, and then joined weakly in the laugh. "Just like him," he said, with a contemptuous shrug of his shoulders. "Shamming again." "Come, I like that," I said faintly. "Why, your life's all sham." He took a step toward me as I lay there, and I thought he was about to kick me, but Jarette laid a hand upon his shoulder. "Let him be," he said shortly. "Look here, young Dale, where are you hurt?" "I suppose I'm not hurt at all," I said, speaking with a good deal of pain; "if I say I am, he'll tell you I'm shamming." "Never mind him, boy," said Jarette, "listen to me. Look here, the game's up with the officers, and they're either my prisoners or as good as dead, so there's nothing more for you to do. Now, I suppose you don't want me to have you thrown overboard, do you?" "Of course not." "Very well, then; it's only a change in your captain, and I dare say you can be useful. What do you say to joining me?" "What, turning mutineer and pirate?" I said boldly. "Don't you use ugly words, boy," he said, with a scowl. "Come, I offer you good terms; will you join us?" "You don't want midshipmen," I said, as I tried to think hard as to what I ought to do under the circumstances. "How do you know, boy? Join us, and serve under me. It will only be like going on again with your old messmate here, and I dare say I can promote you faster than you would have been under Captain Berriman." "But where are we going? What do you mean to do with the ship?" "What's that to you? There, I offer you your chance; will you join us?" "I would if I was you, Mr Dale, sir," said a familiar voice, and turning my head with difficulty, there was Bob Hampton looking quite frank and honest, and as if there was not such a thing as a mutineer on the face of the earth. "Why? What for?" I cried, with a catching of the breath which made me raise my hand to my breast. "'Cause we're all so jolly together now, sir. You'll like it same as me and my mates do. Jyne us, sir." "All right," I said, "if--" "If what?" said Jarette, sharply. "If you rouse up the doctor and make him tend to me, for I'm afraid I've got some broken ribs."