“Ay, ay, sir. Practysing up. I got it now, and go ahead to-morrow morning. Stove bothered me a bit at first, but I can work her, and there’ll be hot water and coffee for braxfast in the morning, and soup and taters for dinner. Cooking’s easy enough when you knows how.”
There was a roar of laughter at this.
“Ah, you may laugh, all on you, I don’t keer. This won’t hurt my leg, will it, doctor?”
“No; you can go on with that,” replied Mr Frewen; “but keep seated all you can.”
“Toe be sure, sir. I’ve often seen the cook sitting down to peel the taters and stir the soup.”
“Well, let that fire out now, and get some rest,” said Mr Brymer. “You startled us all.”
Then leading the way back to the saloon, he told Miss Denning that we should all gladly accept her brother’s offer; and it having been arranged that a whistle should give the signal of danger, the poor fellow was carried up on the poop-deck, and left there with his sister, a final look given at the steaming hold, and then the men went forward, and we to our cabins, I choosing for mine the one occupied by Walters, to whom I talked for a few minutes, and then in an instant I was asleep.