CHAPTER THIRTY.
A FRESH START.
"Mr Herrick," said the captain, as I saluted, "I have decided that, as you know so much about this business, you shall go with Mr Brooke in one of the boats; but I wish you to observe what I say: the success of our expedition depends a great deal upon secrecy, so do not chatter anything about your mission in the hearing of the men." "No, sir, certainly not," I said, wondering what the mission might be, and whether we were going to cut out the junks.
"That's right; you had better take the interpreter with you." "To search for the junks, sir ?" "Hush; guard your tongue, sir.

You are ostensibly going up the river with Mr Brooke upon a little shooting expedition for wild-fowl, so get rid of your uniform.

I daresay we can lend him a gun, Mr Reardon ?" "If he'll take care of it, he can have mine, sir," said Mr Reardon.
"Then off with you, my lad, and be as observant as you can.

Mr Brooke will tell you, I daresay, all about his instructions." I saluted, and darted away in time to see that Smith had been watching me, for he drew back as I approached, and I found him standing by where Barkins sat, looking exceedingly glum.
I daresay it was very petty, but Smith had been so malicious, and had so often made himself disagreeable, that I could not help feeling a delicious sensation of triumph as I bustled into the cabin and rushed to my locker, without taking any notice whatever of Smith, while I felt sorry for big burly Barkins, who I felt would not say an unkind word if it were not for Smith's influence.
I remember Charles Dickens saying in one of his tales something about it being hard enough to live with any one who had a bad temper in a large house, but to be shut up with the said person in a cart or travelling van was terrible.

Of course I am not giving his exact words, only making the allusion to illustrate the fact that it is quite as bad to exist with an ill-tempered person in the small cabin of a vessel at sea.
For you may depend upon it there is no better--or worse--way of finding out a companion's peculiarities than that.
I acted pettily, but then I was only a boy; and now I am a man, getting on in years, I don't know that I am much better.