He led the way toward the cabin; but before they reached the companion hatch the captain came up, looking very stern. Then he, too, altered his manner. "What is it?" he said anxiously. "Steve is not hurt?" "Not much, I think. We're going down to see." "I hope not," said the captain quickly; and his eyes met Steve's as, without another word, he quietly held out his hand. It was a very simple action, but it meant a great deal; and as the lad felt the quiet, firm pressure given to his fingers, he grew more and more, as he had expressed himself, sorry for the pain he had so inadvertently caused. "Now, then," said the doctor, as soon as he had closed the cabin door, "I ought to be very much obliged to you, Steve, for giving me something to keep my surgical lore from growing rusty." "Oh, I say!" cried the boy, "don't talk like that, sir. There isn't much the matter, is there?" "Not much the matter! Why, you talked about broken ribs. Don't you call that much the matter?" "Oh, but--" "Here, let's see, patient. Don't; I'll do that." He pressed the boy back on to the locker, and then proceeded to make his examination, while Steve watched his face anxiously, trying to gather from the intent countenance whether he had sustained any serious injury. "Hum! ha!" ejaculated the doctor, as he went on manipulating the boy's chest, back, and ribs. "That hurt you?" "Horribly, sir." "And that?" "Yes, sir; worse." "Can't help it. Well, that?" "Oh! that's worse of all, sir." "Humph! Now then, take a good, long, deep breath." Steve obeyed. "Now another, deeper and longer. Draw the air well in after an outward breath, to empty the lungs. Hah! that's better. Well, there are no broken rib ends piercing the lungs." "Oh no, I hope not!" cried Steve anxiously. "The ribs are broken, then?" "Not they. All sound as mine are. There, that will do; get on your jacket." Steve began, but the pain the act gave him turned him sick, and seeing this the doctor helped him. "There must be something the matter, sir," he said, rather piteously, "or it wouldn't hurt like this." "Hardly fair to call it anything the matter, my lad. Your shoulder has had a nasty wrench from the jerk with which you were brought up." "But it hurts so much lower down." "And no wonder. In two or three days your side there will be black and blue." "And why--what should make it so, sir?" "Johannes' great hand. Why, he must have gripped you there like a steel claw." "Yes, he did. I felt it like that. He got hold of a lot of the flesh." "Exactly; and a good thing, too. Better than letting you fall sixty to seventy feet." "Much," said Steve dolefully. "Humph! don't sound as if you thought so, my boy. There, you've not anything serious the matter with you. The bruises will get well of themselves. But don't look at me in that disappointed way; were you in the hope that I should perform some serious operation?" "Ugh! No, sir."