Seeing that my presence would do no
good, I turned about and left the forecastle, hearing, as I came away,
one of the Dutchmen cry out:--
"Look here, Mister Rile, vill you be pleashed to ssay when we are to
hov' something to eat?--for by Gott! ve vill kill te dom pigs in the
long-boat if the skipper don't mindt--so look out!"
As ill-luck would have it, Captain Coxon was at the break of the poop,
and saw me come out of the forecastle. He waited until he had got me
alongside of him, when he asked me what I was doing among the men.
"I looked in to give them a good word for the work they did last
night," I answered.
"And who asked you to give them a good word, as you call it?"
"I have never had to wait for orders to encourage a crew."
"Mind what you are about, sir!" he exclaimed, in a voice tremulous with
rage. "I see through your game, and I'll put a stopper upon it that
you won't like."
"What game, sir? Let me have your meaning."
"An infernal mutinous game!" he roared. "Don't talk to me, sir! I
know you! I've had my eye upon you! You'll play false if you can, and
are trying to smother up your d--d rebel meanings with genteel airs!
Get away, sir!" he bellowed, stamping his foot.
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