I was so wrought up that I think I must have come to blows with them but for a fortunate diversion. Bones and several other men emerged from the fo'csle hatch, yawning and stretching their arms, evidently having just arisen from sleep. At the same moment Peter Corlaer climbed from the cabin companionway, lurched for a moment, on his feet and then staggered precariously toward the bulwarks. I started for'ard to aid him, and Bones ran aft with a loud yell.
"Don't ye spoil my decks, ye fat cow!" he shouted.
Poor Peter, regardless of both of us, seized a stay and clung to it abjectly, quite helpless. Bones reached him first and gave him a shove which sent him plunging into the scuppers head first.
"Get up," snarled Bones, and dealt him a vicious kick with a heavy sea-boot.
Peter groaned, and I caught Bones by the arm.
"—— you for a coward!" I shouted. "Captain Murray bade you use us gently. Is this how you obey?"
He snatched free of me and yanked out a knife.
"Obey, ye lousy lubber!" he howled. "I'm Flint's mate, and I'll show ye who can say obey to me. Get back there or I'll cut your heart out and eat it afore ye."
I looked about me for a weapon, anxious to give him a lesson; but there was not a sign of anything handy, and I backed away cautiously from the menace of his knife. He had been drinking through the night on top of liberal potations during the previous day, and the effect was to render him quite insensible to any rule now that his passions were aroused. Silver shouted to him to let us be, as did one or two others; but his only answer was a string of the curses in which he was so proficient, and he continued to circle after me.
For myself I was not greatly frightened, for, as it chanced, knife-fighting was an art in which I was somewhat expert, thanks to instruction from my father's Indian friends; but I was concerned lest the scoundrel make a dart at Peter and slay the Dutchman as he lay inert. Judge of my amazement then when Peter swayed to his feet, holding on to the bulwarks to pull himself erect. His face was white, but he abandoned his support without hesitation and advanced, crooked-legged, across the deck toward us.