"Tell him I will attend to Mr. Smith," she said with a curtness that matched Calamity's own. "Stop," she added as the man was leaving, "send the steward along first."
There was a look of triumph in the girl's eyes as she stepped out of her cabin and went over to the one occupied by the hapless second-mate. He was still unconscious and she at once proceeded to remove the crude bandage from his forehead and bathe the wound properly. While she was in the act of binding it up again Sing-hi entered.
"I want you to help me fix Mr. Smith's broken leg," said the girl. "Do you think you can manage it?"
"Plenty savee," answered the Chinaman with a grin, "two piecee man fixee one piecee leg." He had often assisted Calamity with surgical cases and was proud of his experience.
"Yes, that's right. Can you make me a splint?"
"One piecee leg wantchee two piecee wood?" inquired Sing-hi.
"Yes."
The Chinaman glanced round the cabin, then removed the books from a narrow shelf just above the bunk and took it down. He split this in two with his hands, and, without awaiting further instructions, started to wind a towel round it to form a pad on which the injured limb could rest.
"Excellent," she said, watching him. "You're a splendid assistant."
Sing-hi understood her tone more than her words.