“I will save him the trouble, sir.”
Jerry was now seized up, and every arrangement made preparatory to punishment. “Well, sir,” resumed Jerry, “it must be as you please; but I know what Captain M— will say.”
“What, sir?”
“That you were angry with your officers, whom you could not punish, and revenged yourself upon a poor boy.”
“Would he?—Boatswain’s mate, where’s your cat?”
“Here, sir;—how many tails am I to use?”
“Oh, give him the whole nine.”
“Why, your honour,” replied the man, in a compassionate tone, “there’s hardly room for them there.”
Jerry, who, when his indignation was roused, cared little what he said, and defied consequences, now addressed the captain.
“Captain Bradshaw, before you commence, will you allow me to tell you what I will call you after the first lash?”