#hmss6

The whole quarterdeck and the greater part of the ship’s company were gazing at the resuscitated Doctor, his older shipmates with plain delight, the others with heavy wonder: Pullings went so far as to push between the captain and the surgeon and to seize him by the arm.

In the dead hour of the middle watch he appeared on deck in his night-shirt, looked attentively at the log-board by the binnacle- light, and desired Pullings to shorten sail at eight bells. He appeared again, like a restless ghost, at five bells, and backed his topsails for a while. His calculations were remarkably exact, and he brought the frigate into Rio just as the sun rose behind her and bathed the whole fantastic spectacle in golden light. Yet even this did not answer: even this did not close the breach.

In the morning he appeared, eager and sharp-set at the breakfast-table, on the first stroke of the bell. ‘Are you sure you should not stay abed?’ cried Jack.

‘But Stephen, I have been thinking about you. I must heave the ship down, re-stow her — Mr. Stanhope’s dunnage and presents are all ahoo in the after-hold — get her more by the head, shift all manner of things; and it occurred to me, now you are so amazing agile, should not you like to take a week’s leave and ride into the interior? Jaguars, ostriches, unicorns -,’

‘Come, you must go below and to bed. M’Alister shall physic you. Mr M’Alister, pray take Dr Maturin below -,’