“Hullo!” he said, “who’s that for?”
“Mr Walters, sir.”
“Humph!”
I went on watching the surface of the soup, which kept on threatening to slop over, when a rough voice said—
“Thankye, sir. I’ll have it here. Did you put in the salt?”
I gave the speaker, Bob Hampton, a sharp look, and saw that the two men who were generally near him, Barney Blane and Dumlow, were showing all their teeth as they indulged in hard grins; and then I was close upon the cabin-door, but started and stopped short as I heard a cough, and looking up, there was the captain leaning over the rail and watching me.
“That’s not your duty, is it, my lad?” he said.
“No, sir. For Walters, sir, before he comes on deck.”
“Oh!” he ejaculated with a grim look, and he turned away, while I dived in through the door and made my way to the cabin, where I could hear that Walters was having a good wash.
“Here, I’ve brought you something to take,” I cried.