The latter piece of gossip was, indeed, all over the ship; but this
allusion to it struck me as foolishly irrelevant and frivolous. As
to the other matter, I suggested that the officers would have had
more to say about it than Ready, if there had been anything in it.

"Officers be damned!" cried our consumptive, with a sound man's
vigor. "They're ordinary seamen dressed up; I don't believe they've
a second mate's certificate between them, and they're frightened out
of their souls."

"Well, anyhow, the skipper isn't that."

"No; he's drunk; he can shout straight, but you should hear him try
to speak."

I made my way aft without rejoinder. "Invalid's pessimism," was my
private comment. And yet the sick man was whole for the time being;
the virile spirit was once more master of the recreant members; and
it was with illogical relief that I found those I sought standing
almost unconcernedly beside the binnacle.

My little friend was, indeed, pale enough, and her eyes great with
dismay; but she stood splendidly calm, in her travelling cloak and
bonnet, and with all my soul I hailed the hardihood with which I
had rightly credited my love. Yes! I loved her then. It had come
home to me at last, and I no longer denied it in my heart. In my
innocence and my joy I rather blessed the fire for showing me her
true self and my own; and there I stood, loving her openly with my
eyes (not to lose another instant), and bursting to tell her so