She stooped and picked him up.
Christobal had no excuse for a second caress.
"Bark, Joey," she whispered, "bark and call your master. If anything
happens to him, you and I shall never see England again. And I am
longing for home to-day."
CHAPTER XIII
THE FIGHT
Christmas Day arrived, and maintained its kindly repute by finding
affairs on board the _Kansas_ changed for the better. Mr. Boyle was so
far recovered that he could walk; he even took command of two watches
in the twenty-four hours, but was forbidden to exert himself, lest the
wound in his back should reopen. Several injured sailors and firemen
were convalescent; the two most serious cases were out of danger;
Frascuelo, hardy as a weed, dared the risk of using his damaged leg,
and survived, though his progress along the deck was painful.
Nevertheless, on Christmas morning he presented himself before the
captain, and asked leave to abandon his present quarters. He felt
lonely in the forecastle, and wished to berth with the other Chileans
in the neighborhood of the saloon. Although his luck was bad in some
respects, the coal-trimmer was endowed with the nine lives of a cat,
for there could be no manner of doubt that he dragged himself aft just
in time to avoid being killed.
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