“Is she, though?” he said. “Poor girl. Of course, yes, she would be. Did she seem very anxious about any one else—Mr Frewen, for instance?”
“No, sir; I don’t remember that she mentioned him.”
“Poor girl. No, of course not, nor me neither, I suppose?”
“Oh no, I’m sure of that, sir,” I said decisively. “She certainly did not mention your name. But we must go back now, sir, and see if we are wanted.”
“Of course. Come along,” said Mr Preddle, hurriedly; and we went into the saloon, where I found the captain standing by the table in the middle, looking very white, and I saw now that his arm was in a sling, and the lower part of his head bandaged.
He was arranging some pistols and rifles on the table as we entered, and he looked up, nodded at us, and said—
“Two more. There, boy, you’ll have to try and fight with the rest of us.”
“I’ll try, sir,” I said, and I looked at him wonderingly, for I had been under the impression that he was unwell in the cabin; I had forgotten the fact that he too had been on deck and received several severe injuries when the mutineers made their attack.
“Oh, look here, Dale,” he said suddenly, “while I think of it, my lad. I went on deck last night to have a look round at the weather, and when I came back I found that my cabin-door was fastened up. Was that your doing?”
“No, sir,” I replied. “Certainly not.”