"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 a.s.sist 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 b.u.t.tons 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 on purpose," groaned Walters. "Oh, do, do call for help."

"No, I'd better run and fetch Mr--Mr--what's the doctor's name?"

"We never heard his name," moaned my messmate; "fetch him. I knew how it would be. It's a shame to poison officers with bad preserved meat."

"But I ate a lot of it," I said, as I triumphantly finished fastening my second brace.

"Ah, you'll have it directly. Oh dear, oh dear! I am so bad--why did I ever come to sea?"

Slosh--whish--bang!

A wave had struck the ship, and we could hear the water flying over us, as, after a tremendous effort to keep on my legs, I came down, sitting on my sea-chest; and then, instead of springing up again, I sat rolling from side to side, laughing silently and trying hard to master the intense desire to break forth into a tremendous roar.

Walters did not see it for a few moments, but kept on bemoaning his condition.

"I'll complain to the owners myself, if the captain doesn't take it up.

It's too bad. Oh, do make haste--the doctor--the doctor--I'm dying."

Then with a good deal of energy he cried, "Why, you're laughing."

"Of course I am," I said, giving way now to my mirth. "Why, you're only a bit sea-sick."

"I'm not," he snapped out; "I'm poisoned by that bad meat we had. Oh, the doctor, the doctor!"

"You're not," I said. "It's only sea-sickness. Why, I should have thought you could stand it."

"Oh, help--help!"

"Hush, don't make that noise!" I cried.

"Then fetch the doctor, oh, pray, pray!"

I hesitated no longer, but hurried out, and one of the first I encountered on deck was the bluff-looking sailor, whom my companion had snubbed.

"Look here," I cried quickly, "Mr Walters is very ill. Where's the doctor's cabin?"

Just then the ship made a lurch, and so did I, but by giving a kind of hop and jump and getting my legs apart, I preserved my balance.

"Well done, youngster," cried the man. "You've been at sea before."

"Yes, often," I replied, "but where's the doctor?"

"I'll show you, sir. Number three's his cabin. Next but two to the skipper's. But your messmate's only got the Channel chump, has he?"

"I think he's only sea-sick, but he says it was the meat last night."

"Clck!"

It was a curious sound that one cannot spell any nearer, partly laugh, partly cry of derision.

"That's what they all says, sir," he continued. "Sea-sick, sure as my name's Bob Hampton." As he spoke he had descended with me, and ended by pointing out number three.

"There you are, sir; two rollers at night, and a shake the bottle in the morning. That's Mr Frewen's cabin; I must get back on deck."

The next minute I was knocking at the doctor's door.

"Hullo!" came instantly.

"Would you get up, please, sir? Walters is very bad."