"Where were you off to, eh? Are you going daft?"
"Why, sir, it's all hands on deck, isn't it?" said Jack Mackenzie, for it was he. "Mustn't I keep my watch, and help to reef topsails?"
Dr. Reikie laughed loud enough to be heard high above the trampling of feet and shouting of orders on deck.
"Ha! ha! ha! Well, I declare, that's about the best thing I've heard for many a day. Man," he added, leading Jack straight off into the cosy little ward-room, "what use d'ye think a vision of a thing like you would be on deck? No more use, man, than a cat in front of a carriage and four. Sit down on the locker there, or, what is better still, lie down, and thank your stars you've gotten a countryman o' your ain to look after you."
"Well," said Jack, mournfully, "I suppose I must do as I'm told."
"I'll take care you do, youngster. You may disobey anybody else in the mess, but if you dinna do as I tell you, man, I'll lay you across the table and lunner the riggin' o' you. But there," he added, more kindly, "I'm only in fun, or half in fun, you know. Only, dinna forget I'm senior in this mess, and sit at the head o' the table. If I hadn't hauled you down the companion, you'd have been washed half-way to Finisterre afore now."
"Thank you very much, sir."
"Well, mind you're a kind of in the sick-list, and never a watch do you keep—except that bonnie gowd one in your pocket that your granny gave you—till I give you leave."
"Thank you, sir," said Jack again. "But what is supposed to be the matter with me?"
"A touch of sea-sickness—your gills are as white as a haddock's.—Inexperience, and the want o' sea-legs.—Hark! listen! We've carried away something."