I waited till he was pretty close, and then started to intercept him.
His keen eye was on me in an instant.
“Bless my soul, Mr Herrick!” he cried, “what are you doing? Surely your duty does not bring you here?”
“No, sir,” I said, saluting. “I beg your pardon, sir; I’ve been going backward and forward to Mr Barkins and Mr Smith.”
“Ho! Pair of young noodles; what did they want in the boats? Getting hurt like that. Well?”
“Beg pardon, sir; would you mind giving me permission to see the prisoners?”
“What! why?”
“I wanted to see them, sir, and go back and tell my messmates about how they looked.”
“Humbug!” he cried. “Look here, sir, do you think I have nothing else to do but act as a wild-beast showman, to gratify your impertinent curiosity? Let the miserable wretches be.”
“Yes, sir.”