"So! and monstrous rich, by our lady! Comrade," said he, "I helped carry her box on board. Do you take me for a fool? There is something weighs more in that than a maiden's frocks--eh, my friend?" "You are a fool," said I. "A fool? Ha! ha! 'Tis well. And I am fool enough to-- you be her man, they say? and an honest fellow? Ha! ha!" "Ay, ay," said I, drowsily enough, "let me go to sleep." "Ay, ay," said he, "even if it be silver pieces and not gold, 'twill be enough to make men of thee and me. Dost hear, sluggard? Thee and me, and no more planks and ropes, and--" I had ceased to hear his maunderings, and was sound asleep. When I awoke, it was to hear the thundering crash of a wave on the deck overhead, and I knew we were at last on the open sea. Alas! when I turned over to recover my sleep, I fell into so horrible a fit of shuddering and sickness that I believed the hour of my departure was come. The ship rolled heavily through the uneasy water, and at every lurch my heart sunk--I know not whither. I could hear the shuffling of steps overhead, and the dash of the waves against the ship's side, and the voice of the sailors at their posts. Little recked they of the comrade who was dying below! Presently a call came for the new watch to turn up on deck. I was helpless to obey, and lay groaning there, not caring if the next lurch took us down to the bottom. At last, after much shouting, the captain himself came down and shook me roughly. "Leave me," said I, "to die in peace." "Die!" cried he, "thou sickly lubber. If you rise not in a minute's time, we will see what a rope's end can do to 'liven thee. Come, get up." I struggled to my feet, but in that posture my sickness came back with double violence, so that I tumbled again to the floor, and vowed he might use every rope in the ship to me, but up I could not get. I do not well recall what happened those next few days. I believe I staggered upon deck and went miserably through the form of work, jeered at by my fellow sailors, despised by my captain, and wondered at by Ludar. But when, after the sickness gave way, I one day found myself in a fever, with my strength all gone, I was let go below and lie there without more to do. I know not how it came to pass, but ill I was for a day or two; perhaps it was the vexations of the last few weeks, or the weakness left by the sickness, or a visitation of the colic from heaven; however it was, I lay there, humbled and ashamed of my weakness, and wishing myself safe back outside Temple Bar.