"I was just going to point out to you how, talking about pork--" "I know you was," stormed Mr.Stobell, rising from his chair and lurching forward heavily.

"D'ye think I couldn't hear you?
Prating, and prating, and pra----" He disappeared below, and the captain, after exchanging a significant grin with Mr.Tredgold, put his hands behind his back and began to pace the deck, musing solemnly on the folly of trusting to appearances.
Sea-sickness wore off after a day or two, and was succeeded by the monotony of life on board a small ship.

Week after week they saw nothing but sea and sky, and Mr.Chalk, thirsting for change, thought with wistful eagerness of the palm-girt islands of the Fijian Archipelago to which Captain Brisket had been bidden to steer.

In the privacy of their own cabin the captain and Mr.Duckett discussed with great earnestness the nature of the secret which they felt certain was responsible for the voyage.
[Illustration: "The captain and Mr.Duckett discussed with great earnestness the nature of the secret."].