Sail Ho! | Page 7

my little charges first."
"Your little--Oh yes, I remember the captain told me. You have quite a collection."
"Yes, very large, and I am anxious to get them all across safely."
"I wish you success, I'm sure," said the doctor quietly. "You naturalists take a great deal of pains over your studies."
"Oh, we do our best," said the big man mildly, and it was just as if a girl was speaking. "Perhaps your two young gentlemen would like to see them."
"To be sure they would," said the doctor. "Let me introduce them. Let me see, your name is--"
"Preddle--Arthur Preddle."
"To be sure, you told me last night in the cabin. Then here are two of our embryo captains, Mr--"
"Nicholas Walters," said my companion, trying to speak gruffly.
"And--"
"Alison Dale."
"That's right; I like to know the name of my patients present or to be. Let me make you known to Mr Arthur Preddle, FZS."
"And FLS," said the big passenger, mildly.
"To be sure, forgive my ignorance," said the doctor. "Now let's go and see the fish."
Mr Preddle led the way--that is, his words and looks were eager, but his body was very slow and lumbering as he walked with us to the steps, and then down to the main-deck, and forward; and all the time, as he moved his feet, I could not for the life of me help thinking about the way in which an elephant walked onward in his slow, soft way. It put one in mind of india-rubber, and all the time our new acquaintance gave a peculiar roll from side to side.
There was still a great deal of lumber about the deck, but the officers were rapidly getting everything cleared, and we soon reached a well-protected and sheltered spot forwards, where several large frames had been fitted up on purpose, and the boards which had been screwed on when they were brought on board having been removed, there they were, several shallow trays of little fish swimming hurriedly about in shoals in the clear water, but ready enough to dash at the tiny scraps of food Mr Preddle threw in.
"For fresh food, sir?" said Walters. "Won't they be very small?"
The doctor laughed, while the naturalist's eyes opened very wide and round, so did his mouth.
"For food, my dear young friend?" he said in his quiet way. "They are being sent out by an acclimatisation society, in the hope that they will assist to furnish Australia and New Zealand with a good supply of salmon and trout. Look at the little beauties, how strong and healthy, and bright and well they seem!"
I was afraid to look at Walters for fear he should make me laugh, so I stood staring first in one tray then in the other, till it was time for breakfast, and Walters whispered as we hung back to the last--
"I say, how I should like to kick that fish chap."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because he is so soft and fat."
By this time we were up by the cabin-door, and as we entered rather awkwardly, the captain shouted to us from the other end--
"Here, youngsters, you can find a seat at this table," and just then I saw my sick acquaintance standing up, and he beckoned to me.
"Come and sit by me," he said; "you will not mind, Captain Berriman?"
"Not I, sir," said that gentleman bluffly, and as I moved towards where my new friend was seated, Walters said sharply in my ear, "Oh, that's it, is it? Well, you are a sneak!"
CHAPTER FOUR.
These were the people I saw most of, on that first day. The next I did not see any of them, for when I awoke next morning, it was to feel that there was a heavy sea on, which somehow, from experience, I took quite as a matter of course; but a deep groan below me, and sounding very startling, taught me that some one else was not taking it in the same fashion.
"That you, Dale?" came piteously.
"Yes; what's the matter?"
"Oh, pray go and fetch the doctor. Some of that meat we had has upset me."
I looked at him, and certainly he seemed very ill, as I hurriedly began to dress.
"Oh dear, oh dear," he groaned, "I never felt so bad as this before."
"I shan't be long," I said; "when did you begins to feel bad?"
"Don't, don't ask any questions," he cried, half-angrily; "do you want to see me die?"
"Poor fellow!" I muttered, as I fought hard to get buttons through their proper holes, after a desperate struggle with my trousers, into which I got one leg, and had to try again and again to get in the other as I stood; but so sure as I raised the second limb the ship gave a lurch, and I either went against the bulk-head or banged up against our bunks.
"You're doing that