At two o'clock the tide swerved, and the ship started on her voyage.
Capt. Diaz did not behave badly until the third week of the voyage, when it was evident from his flushed countenance that he had been indulging in intoxicating liquors. He would walk sullenly up and down the deck, with a rattan in his hand, giving orders one minute and contradicting them the next.
Bobsey was one morning engaged in coiling a rope, which he didn't do with the neatness and regularity which he should have observed.
"Boy," said Capt. Diaz, "do that over again, or I'll lay it over your back."
Bobsey looked up angrily at him.
"I'm doing it as well as I know how," he replied.
"Don't answer me!" shouted the captain, whose object seemed to be to pick a quarrel with some one.
"If you don't want to be answered," said the boy, "what did you speak to me for?"
"You confounded young whelp, I'll cut the heart out of you!" said the captain, raising his rattan.
The next moment it descended sharply on the boy's shoulders.