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38 "Then you had better take to the water again," returned Watt Brown sharply. "You haven't got to stay with us, you know." And this again silenced the unreasonable man for the time being.

It was decided that Vincent should walk up the shore on the lookout for the other boats, while Sandram was to skirt the bay and try his luck in the opposite direction. In the meantime the captain, second mate, and myself were to do what we could toward building a fire and finding something to eat beside ship's biscuits.

"You go find something to eat," grumbled Captain Kenny to Watt Brown and me, and threw himself under the nearest tree to rest.

"All right, we'll go," answered the second mate. "But remember, Kenny, if you haven't got a good fire started for us when we come back, so we can cook whatever we find, you'll not partake of our supper." And with this pointed remark Brown withdrew and I followed.

"He's a beast," I said, when we were out of hearing. "I would rather have Ah Sid in the crowd."

Ah Sid had been the Dart's cook, a little dried-up Chinaman, but a fellow who had always tried to make himself agreeable.

"If he doesn't behave himself I'll bounce him out of camp," was the second mate's answer.