“I hope you will not take any notice of my son’s sharp remarks, doctor,” said Captain Studwick, overtaking the two young men, for he had heard what had passed.
“Not I, indeed, captain,” said the doctor, frankly. “I think I understand what it means, and I should be a poor student of human nature if I visited his petulance upon him. We shall be the best of friends before long, I’ll be bound.”
“I hope so, I’m sure,” said the captain, gloomily, “for it’s quite possible that we may need to hold well together before our trip is over.”
“Do you anticipate any danger, captain?” said Wilson, turning pale.
The captain hesitated, and then said—
“Voyages are always dangerous—that’s all.”
“He means more than he says,” thought the doctor; and he followed the captain with his eyes as he went forward, stopped, and spoke a few words to Hester and Mr Parkley, who were still sitting together, and then joined Dutch, who was, according to his wont, gazing over the bulwark far out to sea.
“Pugh,” he said, holding out his cigar-case, for several of the men were standing about, and he thought it better not to seem to be making a communication, “I’ve got something on my mind, and of all the men on board you are the one I have chosen to make my confidant.”
Dutch’s eyes brightened, and he turned to the captain eagerly.
“What can I do?” he asked.