"Plenty muchee helpee," he replied modestly.
At that moment Smith opened his eyes, stared about him in bewilderment, and then uttered a loud groan.
"Gawd, what's happened?" he ejaculated.
"Your left leg is broken and there's a nasty gash on your forehead," answered the girl tersely.
"Just my bloomin' bad luck. As if——" he broke off suddenly, a new thought having occurred to him. "What the devil will the old man do now? He's been on watch over twenty hours, and there ain't a soul to relieve him. Dykes is on that blighted packet astern—leastways, I suppose he is if she's still afloat—and I'm half corpsed. It's a cheerful look-out and no bloomin' error."
"Don't worry," answered the girl calmly as she took the improvised splint from Sing-hi. "I'll relieve the Captain myself presently."
"What—you!" And Smith, despite the pain he was suffering, laughed outright. "Oh my stars, I can see him going below and leaving you in charge of the ship—I don't think."
"Then the sooner you do think, the better," retorted the girl cheerfully.