“Oh, if I only had strength!” said the captain. “Doctor, you have half cured me with this news; can’t you give anything to set me up for an hour or two?”
“Nothing,” said Mr Frewen, sadly. “I can only tell you that you must be patient. You must lie here and give your orders. We will execute them as far as we can.”
“And we are in a bad storm. There must be danger on that side too, but I can do nothing.”
“Mr Brymer will do his best, and there are three of the best seamen to help.”
“What?” he cried excitedly.
“Hampton, and two more?”
“No, no, traitors, don’t trust them—the scoundrels.”
“No, we arn’t, cap’n,” growled Bob Hampton. “We was obliged to sham Abram a bit. Now I do call that ’ere hard, arter me and Dumlow and Barney helped get the ship back again.”
“You did?” cried the captain.
“Course we did.”