I could not help smiling at the absurdity of my idea, for I recalled that I had never seen a cold codfish laughing.

I had no more time for musing then, for I received a sharp slap on the back from Barkins.

"Never mind, Gnat; we all get it some time."

I saw that Smith was hurrying up, for I caught sight of him by the light of one of the swinging lanterns, and had to be on my guard.

I did not want to deceive my messmates nor to be untruthful, but I could not open my heart to them and tell them all that had pa.s.sed.

"What cheer, messmet?" whispered Smith. "Had a wigging?"

I nodded my head sulkily.

"What had you been up to? Skipper had you into the cabin, didn't he?"

"Let him alone, will you," cried Barkins. "What do you want to worry the poor chap for? The skipper's had him over the coals."

"Well, I know that, Bark. But what for?"

"What's that to you? Let him alone."

"But he might tell."

"Well, he isn't going to tell. If you must know, the Grand Panjandrum came and catched him talking to Squeezums, hanging over the bulwarks together."

"Talking to who?"

"Well then, to Teapot, old Chinese Ching, and snubbed him for having the Yellow-skin so far aft. Didn't he, Gnat?"

"Yes," I said, quite truthfully.

"Then I say it's too bad," cried Smith. "As the sn.o.b speakers say, are we--er--serlaves? Besides, 'a man's a man for a' that,' ain't he, Tanner?"

"Chinamen have no business abaft the funnel," said Barkins. "Did he give it to you very warmly, Gnat?"

"Pretty well," I said, glad to escape Smith's examination. "I wasn't sorry to get out of the cabin."

"No, I should think not. Why, what's come to the old boy--taking to bully us himself? I thought he always meant to leave that to Dishy."

"He's getting wild at not catching the pirates, I suppose," said Barkins. "Then all that badger gets bottled up in him, and he lets it off at us. Well, I don't see any fun in watching the fire; I'm going down for a snooze."

"Wish I could," said Smith. "The fellow who invented night-watches ought to have been smothered. I daresay he was a man who had something the matter with him and couldn't sleep. I hate it."

"Pooh!" cried Barkins, laughing. "You haven't got used to it yet, old chap. It's an acquired taste. After a bit you won't care a dump for a regular night's rest, but'll want to get up and take your turn. Won't he, Gnat?"

I laughed.

"I haven't got the right taste yet," I said.

"And never will," grumbled Smith, as we turned to have another look at the burning barque.

"How long will a ship like that be burning, Jecks?" I said to one of the watch.

The man scratched his head, and had a good stare at the glowing object in the distance, as if he were making a careful calculation.

"Well," said Barkins, "out with it, Tom Jecks; we don't want to know to two minutes and a half."

"Well, sir," said the man very deliberately, "I should say as a wessel o' that size--"

"There goes her mainmast!" some one shouted, as a portion of the fire fell off to our left, and lay in the sea.

We stood gazing at this part for a few minutes, during which the light faded slowly out, quenched in the waves.

Then Jecks began again, speaking very oracularly--

"I should say as a wessel o' that size--"

"Yes," said Barkins, imitating him; "a wessel o' that size--"

"Yes, sir--might go on burning till 'bout eight bells."

"Or perhaps a little longer, Tom?"

"Well, yes, sir; little longer, perhaps. 'Morrow night, say."

"Or 'morrow morning, Tom?"

"Well, no, sir; because you see it's 'morrow morning now."

"I meant t'other 'morrow morning, Tom. Nex' day."

"Well, yes, sir; she might last till then."

"Or even next day?"

"Well, sir, I hayve knowed 'em go on mouldering and smouldering for days and days."

"A week, perhaps?"

"Oh yes, sir, quite a week."

"Thankye, Tom," said Barkins, giving me a nudge with his elbow. "I thought you'd know. Nothing like going to a man who has had plenty of experience."

"No, sir, there ain't nothin' like it; and I should say as if you young gen'lemen was to stand here and watch, you'd finally see that there wessel give a bit of a roll to starboard and one to port, and then settle down and go out of sight all to oncet, like putting a stingwisher on a candle; and there! what did I tell yer?"

For all at once the blaze rose quite high, as if it were driven upwards by some explosion below. We saw what looked like tiny sparks falling all around, and some of them floating upon the sea, and then there was the sound as of a puff of wind--heavy and short; and, where the barque had lain blazing and sending up its great waving tongue of fire, there was now darkness, save here and there a few dull specks of light, which went out one by one.

"The last act of a tragedy," said a voice close by us; and Mr Brooke, who had the watch, stood gazing at the dark waters for a few moments.