Collected works > Edinburgh edition, 1894-98 - Works of Robert Louis Stevenson > Volume 3, 1895 - Travels and Excursions, Volume II

THE SICK MAN
to me in courtesy, as though he had repented his
evil speech and were anxious to leave a better im-
pression.
When we got on deck again, Jones was still beside
the sick man ; and two or three late stragglers had
gathered round and were offering suggestions. One
proposed to give the patient water, which was
promptly negatived. Another bade us hold him
up ; he himself prayed to be let lie ; but as it was
at least as well to keep him off the streaming decks,
O'Reilly and I supported him between us. It was
only by main force that we did so, and neither an
easy nor an agreeable duty ; for he fought in his
paroxysms Hke a frightened child, and moaned miser-
ably when he resigned himself to our control.
' O let me lie ! ' he pleaded. ' I'll no' get better
anyway.' And then, with a moan that went to
my heart, ' O why did I come upon this miserable
journey ? '
I was reminded of the song which I had heard
a little while before in the close, tossing steerage :
' O why left I my hame ? '
Meantime Jones, reheved of his immediate charge,
had gone off to the galley, where we could see a
light. There he found a belated cook scouring pans
by the radiance of two lanterns, and one of these
he sought to borrow. The scullion was backward.
'Was it one of the crew ? ' he asked. And when
Jones, smitten with my theory, had assured him that
it was a fireman, he reluctantly left his scouring
and came towards us at an easy pace, with one of
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