No, sir." "Mr Barkins! What do you mean, sir ?" "He thinks we shall never catch them, sir," stammered my messmate, who could see punishment writ large in the lieutenant's face.
"Confound the Chinaman, sir!" roared the lieutenant.

"So do I; so does Captain Thwaites." He spoke so loudly that this gentleman heard him from where he was slowly marching up and down, talking to the marine officer, and he turned and came towards us.
"In trouble, young gentlemen ?" he said quietly.

"Pray what does Captain Thwaites ?" he added, turning to the chief officer.
"I beg your pardon, sir.

I was a little exasperated.

These young gentlemen, upon my reproving them for idling, have hatched up a cock-and-bull story--at least Mr Barkins has." "I beg pardon, sir; it was not a--not a--not a--" "Cock-and-bull story, Mr Herrick," said the captain, smiling at my confusion, for I had rushed into the gap.