"No, no, don't, Bob," he said, feebly. "I am getting better, really, now. Don't do that. It would be more than I could stand." Bob Howlett uttered a peculiar sound, half-angry cry, half growl, caught up his cap, and marched out, as if in high dudgeon, while Mark lay back, staring at the open port-hole, through which came the warm glowing light of the tropic sunshine. "Poor old Bob!" he muttered; "he thinks he can sing, and of all the dreadful noises ever made.--Ha, ha, ha!" He laughed merrily at the recollection of some of his messmate's vocal efforts, and his face was lit up as if with inward sunshine, till he heard a voice and looked round in wonder, to see that Captain Maitland, Mr Staples, and the doctor were at the doorway watching him. "Humph!" cried the captain; "not much cause for anxiety here." "No," said the first lieutenant: "he's what the men call miching. Here, Vandean, when are you coming on deck? Can't have you lying here with half a dozen people to wait upon you." "I don't want to, sir," said Mark, in a piping voice. "Mr Whitney knows." "Yes, I know," said the doctor. "There," he continued, turning to the two officers; "you don't think much of your doctor, but what do you say to that?" He patted Mark's head as he spoke. "I believe half the surgeons in the navy would have let the poor fellows slip through their fingers. I saved them all when they were in the most hopeless state." "Not all," said Mr Staples, with a sharp look at the captain. "What about the poor niggers?" "Well, I saved two of them, sir. The others were as good as dead when you called me to them. Humph! did my part better than you did yours. Why didn't you take the schooner?" The captain laughed. "He has us there, Staples," he said. "Let the doctors alone; they are a bad set of people to play with. Only serve you out when you come into their hands. Don't take any notice of him, Whitney. Well, Vandean, I'm very glad to see you so cheerful, but don't presume upon it. You must take it quietly, and be patient. I want to see you on deck again." "Quite out of the question yet," said the doctor, sharply. "I don't mean on duty, Whitney," said the captain smiling, "but in a cane seat under the awning. It would be brighter and better for him to see the men about." "Thank you, sir," cried Mark, with a smile full of gratitude. "Oh, that's different," said the doctor. "Well, after a few days I'll have him carried up." "Yes," said the first lieutenant, "and he can lie there and hatch mischief along with Mr Howlett, and play with the monkey. Nice trio." "Eh? Oh, yes, by the way, I cannot allow you young gentlemen to have pets of that class on board my ship. You are not schoolboys now. Why, you will be wanting white mice and guinea-pigs next!" "Shall I have the animal thrown overboard?" said Mr Staples.