At this moment the commander was heard shouting:
"Quartermaster!"
"Ay, ay, sir."
"Send Dr. Grant to my cabin at once."
Grant required no two biddings. He rushed up the ward-room companion and thundered down the captain's stair, while officers, quartermaster, and all rushed forward, determined not to be witnesses to anything that might happen.
Perhaps never on board a man-o'-war before did such a scene take place in a commander's cabin.
Grant had picked up a handful of the torn-up memo., and quickly now drawing back Flint's curtain he stood like an angry bull in the doorway.
The skipper started to his feet. He had been sitting in his easy-chair.
"Sir—" he began.
But he got no further.