The lad started, for his chief had suddenly fired his question at him like a shot.
“Well, sir, why don’t you answer my question?”
“I beg your pardon, sir,” replied Murray now. “I was thinking.”
“Yes, sir, you were thinking,” cried the captain passionately. “I know you were thinking, and saying to yourself that you had a most unreasonable captain.”
Murray was silent, and the first lieutenant and the other midshipman, after exchanging a glance, fixed their eyes upon the monotonous shore.
“Do you hear me, sir?” thundered the captain, as if he were speaking to the lookout at the mast-head instead of the lad close to him. “That was what you were thinking, was it not? Come: the truth.”
He bent forward to gaze straight into the boy’s eyes as if determined to get an answer.
“Yes, sir,” said the lad desperately, “something of that sort;” and then to himself, “Oh, murder! I’m in for it now!”
“Yes, I knew you were, Mr Murray,” cried the captain. “Thank you. I like my junior officers to speak out truthfully and well. Makes us place confidence in them, Mr Anderson, eh?”
“Yes, sir,” growled the chief officer, “but it isn’t always pleasant.”