“My God, Mr. Osborn, what can I do? I’ve gone too far now.”
“The first thing you can do, Collins, is to unbind the rope around me.”
Without a second’s delay, with a pale, anxious face, Collins unbound Ralph’s arms and legs. Ralph stood up and stretched himself. His heart was full of sympathy for the distracted man before him.
“What next, Mr. Osborn?” he humbly asked.
“What next?” repeated Ralph, in a burst of good feeling. “Why, the next thing that’s going to happen is that Oiler Collins and Midshipman Osborn are going to shake hands and be good friends and are going to help one another whenever they can.”
“What, Mr. Osborn, would you shake hands with a man who has treated you so badly as I have?”
“Indeed I will, Collins. There. Now I hope to convince you before long that officers are not as hard and unfeeling as you think. Your impulses run away with you, Collins, and I hope and believe the captain will think those impulses are not unpardonable.” And Ralph seated himself in the boat.
“How’s your head, Mr. Osborn?”
“Bumpy, but I’m feeling quite contented all the same. Oh, thank you, Collins; that’s good of you.”
Collins was now bathing Ralph’s head with the cool water, and tied his neckerchief about the bruised part.