As we entered the cabin Sanderson, the surgeon, emerged on tiptoe from O’Flaherty’s state-room, and requested us, in a whisper, to make as little noise as possible, as the lieutenant, under the influence of a soothing draught, had just dropped off to sleep.
“I want to keep him as quiet as possible,” continued Sanderson, “for if he is disturbed or excited I am afraid I shall have a deal of trouble with him. What I am principally afraid of in his case—as in yours, Lascelles—is an access of fever, which, with its resulting restlessness, may retard the healing of the wound, or even bring on mortification.”
“And what about the others?” I asked, “are any of their injuries severe?”
“No; chiefly lacerations, painful enough, but not serious,” was the reply. “Those rascals must have fired nothing but langridge, or canister.”
“Ay,” said Courtenay; “and had they fired a little earlier, and so allowed the charges to scatter more, they would have made a clean sweep of our decks. As it was the charges took effect almost like solid shot, as may be seen by the marks in the planking and bulwarks where they struck.”
“Ah, well! it’s a good job it was no worse,” remarked Sanderson. “It has had one good result, in that it has let some of the wild Irish blood out of O’Flaherty, and has taught us the lesson, let us hope, to be a trifle more cautious in future. And, by the by, in the meantime, whilst he is on his beam-ends, which of you youngsters is going to be skipper?”
“Oh, Lascelles, of course,” answered Courtenay quickly. “We joined the service together, you know; but he is a few months my senior in point of age. Moreover, he is ever so much the better navigator of the two; indeed I am ashamed to say I am so shaky in my navigation that I should really be almost afraid to take sole charge of a ship. I might manage all right, but I am not absolutely sure of myself, and that is an awfully unpleasant feeling to have, let me tell you, when you are occupying a position of responsibility.”
The land-breeze, meanwhile, had sprung up, and was by this time blowing pretty strongly; so, as I was a trifle anxious about the raft with the guns alongside, we hurried our meal to a conclusion; and, whilst Sanderson first took another peep at O’Flaherty, and then went forward to look after the rest of his patients, Courtenay and I went on deck, where we found the gunner keeping a lookout. “Well, Mr Tompion,” said I, as the man approached, “how are matters looking here on deck?”
“All quiet, sir,” was the reply, “leastways as far as one can be sartain on sich a pitch-dark night as this. It’s lightnin’ a little away down there to the west’ard, and durin’ one o’ the flashes I sartaintly did think I see some objek a-movin’ away over there in the direction where the felucca came from, but when the next flash took place there weren’t a sign of anything.”
“Oh, indeed!” said I, “what did the object look like?”