"His heart action is good, Cassidy," said Matt.
"He's a sick man for all that," replied the mate. "I've noticed for several hours he was nervous like. We'll have to take him ashore at Belize, and you'll have to be the captain while we're doing the work that's to be done."
There was an under-note in Cassidy's voice that caused Matt to give him a keen look. The mate was a good fellow, but he was second in command, aboard the Grampus, and it was quite natural for him to expect to be the one who stepped into the captain's shoes.
"You heard what Captain Nemo, Jr., said?" asked Matt.
"Sure, I did," returned the mate gruffly.
"I had not the least notion he was picking me for any such place."
"He's a queer chap, the cap'n is," said Cassidy, averting his face and getting up from the side of the locker. "I'll go get him a swig of brandy—maybe it'll bring him round."
When Cassidy returned from the storeroom with the brandy flask, Matt could hardly avoid detecting that he had himself sampled the liquor. Matt was disagreeably surprised, for he had not known that the mate was a drinking man.
While they were forcing a little of the brandy down the captain's throat, Dick and Carl came into the periscope room.
"Vat's der madder mit der gaptain?" asked Carl, as he and Dick crowded close to the locker.