His keen eye was on me in an instant.
"Bless my soul, Mr Herrick!" he cried, "what are you doing? Surely
your duty does not bring you here?"
"No, sir," I said, saluting. "I beg your pardon, sir; I've been going
backward and forward to Mr Barkins and Mr Smith."
"Ho! Pair of young noodles; what did they want in the boats? Getting
hurt like that. Well?"
"Beg pardon, sir; would you mind giving me permission to see the
prisoners?"
"What! why?"
"I wanted to see them, sir, and go back and tell my messmates about how
they looked."
"Humbug!" he cried. "Look here, sir, do you think I have nothing else
to do but act as a wild-beast showman, to gratify your impertinent
curiosity? Let the miserable wretches be."
"Yes, sir."
"And be off to your cabin and study your navigation, sir. Your
ignorance of the simplest matters is fearful. At your age you ought to
be as well able to use a sextant as I am."
"Beg pardon, sir, I am trying."
"Then be off and try more, and let me see some results."