“Oh thet’s it, is it?” growled Merritt. “Well, come out of her right now ’thout lookin’ any more. I sorter mistrust ye;” and as he spoke he clambered into the boat and glanced keenly around while Pepe got out reluctantly.
It was then just upon the stroke of eight bells, 4 a.m., and Merritt stayed where he was until the bell was struck and the watch mustered. Then calling C. B. to him, he told him to watch the boat and make sure that no one entered her. Having done this he returned on deck and waited for daylight. As soon as it came he mounted into the boat again and pointed out to C. B. that the line in the big tub had been disturbed about ten fakes down. Then lifting fake after fake out he carefully ran along the line as he did so, until a sharp “Ah” came from his lips, followed by “Just look here, my son.” C. B. did look, and there was a clean cut in the line severing two strands nearly through. C. B. looked up at the fourth mate’s face, and was horror-struck, for it wore the aspect of a fiend. Not knowing what to say, though burning with righteous anger at the shameful treachery, he looked irresolutely back and forth, first at the line and then at his leader, when suddenly he heard the captain’s voice on deck. Merritt immediately slipped over the rail and strode to the captain, saying as he came before him—
“Captain Taber, what’s to be done to a man that creeps into a boat at night and cuts a tow-line through, an’, when he’s caught at it, says he’s lookin’ for fly’n’ fish?”
For a moment the captain was speechless with astonishment and rage, then he burst into incoherent speech of a kind that cannot be reported. Merritt stood looking coolly at him until he had finished, and then resumed with—
“Guess I’d like you just to hev a peek at this thing,” and led the way to the boat, the captain swiftly following. There sat C. B. still almost helpless with wonderment at the devilish treachery of the thing while Merritt showed the line and explained how he came to detect the deed.
“But who, who’s the man?” gasped the skipper. “Tell me who the man is till I make him wish he’d never been born.”
“Now, sir,” replied Merritt, “I ain’t ever asked you a favour since I ben in your ship, an’ I know I’ve gi’n you satisfaction. Please let me deal with this man in my own way. I won’t kill him, I promise ye that, sir, an’ it’ll be less trouble for all of us.” By this time Captain Taber had cooled down a bit, and he looked dubiously at the ugly face before him. At last he said, “I don’t want murder done here, Mr. Merritt, neither do I want a man laid up so’s he won’t be any use for the work, otherwise I think I could leave it to you to give him he’s lesson. Yes, I’ll do it, if you’ll tell me who it is.”
“That’s good, sir,” rejoined Merritt, “your word’s always good enough for me. Well, it’s Pepe, an’ I propose getting him here on the quarter-deck with all hands to see and no weapons but our hands, an’ if I don’t teach him suthin that’ll do him good you can heave me overboard. But I own I’d just like to kill him.”
“All right,” said the skipper, “I won’t go back on my word, keep you yours. But only to think of it! my boss harponeer to serve me a dog’s trick like that! And I thought he was getting so quiet and amiable too. Ah,” shaking his head sadly at C. B., “I was a bit too sudden in what I said to ye the other afternoon. This is on your account. Well, I wish I’d never seen ye, but I’ll own that it ain’t any of your fault, an’ I’m not goin’ t’ be cur enough t’ blame ye.”