“Yes, Joe; and you said something about my not being frightened.”
“Yes, sir. You quite capped me.”
“Stop a minute, Joe. I want to say something to you.”
“All right, sir,” cried the sailor, looking wonderingly at the lad, who was speaking to him in a husky impressive tone.
But Rodd remained speechless, and it was the sailor who broke the silence.
“I’m a-listening, sir. Heave ahead.”
“Yes,” cried Rodd desperately. “Look here, Joe; were you making fun of me?”
“Fun of you? No, sir. It was only my way, just to make things a bit more cheery, for every one on deck seems to be in the doldrums, all on account of that great squirmy thing.”
“No, no, I don’t mean that,” cried Rodd. “I mean, making fun of me when you told the men I wasn’t frightened.”
“Fun on you? No, sir. Why, it was as I said. You quite capped me, to see you standing facing that thing without shrinking a bit. I should have expected to see you frightened to death.”