Many Cargoes | Page 2

from him, the skipper comes hurrying down with a
bag in his 'and.
"'What's the matter, my man?' ses he, 'what's the matter?'
"'I'm all right, sir,' ses old Dan, "cept that I've been swoonding away a
little.'
"'Tell me exactly how you feel,' ses the skipper, feeling his pulse.
"Then old Dan said his piece over to him, an' the skipper shook his
head an' looked very solemn.
"'How long have you been like this?' he ses.
"'Four or five years, sir,' ses Dan. 'It ain't nothing serious, sir, is it?'
"'You lie quite still,' ses the skipper, putting a little trumpet thing to his
chest an' then listening. 'Um! there's serious mischief here I'm afraid,
the prognotice is very bad.'
"'Prog what, sir?' ses Dan, staring.
"'Prognotice,' ses the skipper, at least I think that's the word he said.
'You keep perfectly still, an' I'll go an' mix you up a draught, and tell
the cook to get some strong beef-tea on.'

"Well, the skipper 'ad no sooner gone, than Cornish Harry, a great big
lumbering chap o' six feet two, goes up to old Dan, an' he ses, 'Gimme
that book.'
"'Go away,' says Dan, 'don't come worrying 'ere; you 'eard the skipper
say how bad my prognotice was.'
"'You lend me the book,' ses Harry, ketching hold of him, 'or else I'll
bang you first, and split to the skipper arterwards. I believe I'm a bit
consumptive. Anyway, I'm going to see.'
"He dragged the book away from the old man, and began to study.
There was so many complaints in it he was almost tempted to have
something else instead of consumption, but he decided on that at last,
an' he got a cough what worried the fo'c'sle all night long, an' the next
day, when the skipper came down to see Dan, he could 'ardly 'ear
hisself speak.
"'That's a nasty cough you've got, my man,' ses he, looking at Harry.
"'Oh, it's nothing, sir,' ses Harry, careless like. 'I've 'ad it for months
now off and on. I think it's perspiring so of a night does it."
"'What?' ses the skipper. 'Do you perspire of a night?'
"'Dredful,' ses Harry. 'You could wring the clo'es out. I s'pose it's
healthy for me, ain't it, sir?'
"'Undo your shirt,' ses the skipper, going over to him, an' sticking the
trumpet agin him. 'Now take a deep breath. Don't cough.'
"'I can't help it, sir,' ses Harry, 'it will come. Seems to tear me to
pieces.'
"'You get to bed at once," says the skipper, taking away the trumpet, an'
shaking his 'ed. 'It's a fortunate thing for you, my lad, you're in skilled
hands. With care, I believe I can pull you round. How does that
medicine suit you, Dan?'

"'Beautiful, sir,' says Dan. 'It's wonderful soothing, I slep' like a
new-born babe arter it.'
'"I'll send you some more,' ses the skipper. 'You're not to get up mind,
either of you.'
"'All right, sir,' ses the two in very faint voices, an' the skipper went
away arter telling us to be careful not to make a noise.
"We all thought it a fine joke at first, but the airs them two chaps give
themselves was something sickening. Being in bed all day, they was
naturally wakeful of a night, and they used to call across the fo'c'sle
inquiring arter each other's healths, an' waking us other chaps up. An'
they'd swop beef-tea an' jellies with each other, an' Dan 'ud try an' coax
a little port wine out o' Harry, which he 'ad to make blood with, but
Harry 'ud say he hadn't made enough that day, an! he'd drink to the
better health of old Dan's prognotice, an' smack his lips until it drove us
a'most crazy to 'ear him.
"Arter these chaps had been ill two days, the other fellers began to put
their heads together, being maddened by the smell o' beef-tea an' the
like, an' said they was going to be ill too, and both the invalids got into
a fearful state of excitement.
"'You'll only spoil it for all of us,' ses Harry, 'and you don't know what
to have without the book.'
"'It's all very well doing your work as well as our own,' ses one of the
men. 'It's our turn now. It's time you two got well.'
"'WELL? ses Harry, 'well? Why you silly iggernerant chaps, we shan't
never get well, people with our complaints never do. You ought to
know that.'
"'Well, I shall split, 'ses one of them. "'You do!' ses Harry, 'you do, an'
I'll put a 'ed on you that all the port wine and jellies in the world
wouldn't cure. 'Sides, don't you think the skipper knows what's the
matter with us?'

"'Afore