"Get up," said Jefferson; "it is time to end this sickening scene."
Hunston slowly rose to his feet
"Excuse me," said the captain, stepping forward, "but as captain of this ship—under your orders, Mr. Harkaway, of course—I can't see how it is possible to allow his offence to go unpunished. You are of course at liberty to forgive him for any wrong he may have done you all, but with all due deference I must set my face against winking at such offences as he has committed on board this ship."
"Listen to the skipper," added another of the crew.
"To let him off scot free would be to encourage insubordination and mutiny, in fact."
"Then I leave it to you, captain," said Harkaway; "I shall not interfere in your management of the ship."
Hunston's heart sank.
"Get rid of him at once," suggested Harvey.
"How?"
"Lower him in a boat; provision it for a month and set him adrift."