“I shouldn’t set up my dog as a model to go by if I were you,” said a voice at his elbow; and turning suddenly, with his face flushing, Mark found that the second-mate was at his elbow.
“I didn’t know that I was thinking aloud,” said Mark.
“But you were, and very loudly. I don’t wonder at your not liking that man: I don’t. Perhaps he’ll improve though. We will not judge him yet. So you’re coming all the way with us?”
“Yes.”
“I’m glad of it. Be a change for you, and for us too. This is rather different to what we’ve been having, eh?”
“Why, it’s lovely!” cried Mark. “I didn’t think the weather could be so beautiful at sea.”
“Nor so stormy, eh?”
“I didn’t notice much of the storm,” said Mark. “I was too ill.”
“Ah! it is bad that first attack of ‘waves in motion,’ as I call it. But that’s all past, and we shall have fine weather, I daresay, all the rest of the voyage. One never gets much worse weather than we have near home.”
“Was much damage done,” asked Mark, “in the storm?”