The wounded man groaned whenever any one touched him; but a whip being quickly rigged he was hoisted aboard as tenderly as possible, and in obedience to Frank's directions was carried into the cabin and placed in his bunk. When the steward lighted the lamp Frank had a good view of him for the first time, and he could hardly bring himself to believe that this wreck of humanity was the same man he had so often seen on the quarter-deck. He was no surgeon, but knowing that something ought to be done at once to relieve the captain and stop the flow of blood, he set to work to do what he could. He cut off the sufferer's coat and shirt with his knife, and found three gaping wounds, which were enough to have left the life out of any but a man of iron, as the captain was. While he was bathing them with warm water brought from the galley the third mate came in, and Frank was surprised to see him remove his hat.
"Is it necessary for me to apologize for coming in here under such circumstances as these, without an invitation?" asked the amateur doctor.
"I guess not, sir," answered the officer, with a smile. "From all I can learn you've got the best right here."
"How is that? I don't understand you."
"Why, the men have put you in as cap'n, and say they won't do duty under anybody else."
"Well, they have no right to do anything of the kind. They don't know what they are talking about."
"No, they don't. I'm master of this ship," murmured the wounded man, looking about with the old savage glare in his eyes and trying to raise his head. "Trice 'em all up, and hang the snatch-block to their—Mr. Gale!" he ejaculated, recognising the third mate.
"Yes, sir; it's Mr. Gale, come back safe and sound, and just as ready to do duty as he was before you turned him adrift in that boat," replied the officer.