you here. You haf fever and near die. Tree days after we bring
you here de captain he swear you shamming and comed to look at you
hisself, but he see that it true and tink you going to die. He go
away wid smile on his face. Every day he ask if you alive, and give
grunt when I say yes. Now you best keep vera quiet. You no talk
'cept when no one else here but me. Other times lie wid your face
to the side and your eyes shut. Best keep you here as long as
we can, de longer de better. He make you come on deck and work as
soon as he think you strong enough to stand. Best get pretty strong
before you go out.'

"For another three weeks I lay in my bunk. I only ate a little
gruel when others were there, but when the skipper was at dinner
Jans would bring me strong soup and meat from the caboose. The
captain came several times and shook me and swore I was shamming,
but I only answered in a whisper and seemed as faint as a girl.
All this time the Potomac was making good way, and was running fast
down the coast of South America. The air was getting cool and fresh.

"'I tink,' Jans said one evening to me, 'dat dis not go on much
much longer. De crew getting desperate. Dey talk and mutter among
demselves. Me thinks we have trouble before long.'

"The next day one of the mates came in with a bucket of water. 'There!
you skulking young hound,' he said as he threw it over me; 'you'd
best get out, or the skipper will come and rouse you up himself.'

"I staggered on to the floor. I had made up my mind to sham weak,
but I did not need to pretend at first, for having been six weeks
in bed, I felt strange and giddy when I got up. I slipped on my