A thrill of terror run through the boy’s frame like a shock of electricity when he reflected that he was completely in this villain’s power, and that if he felt disposed to take revenge on him for the evidence Guy had given against him he would have every opportunity to do it.
With a cautious movement Guy pulled the blanket over his head, leaving a little opening through which he could watch the movements of the two men. They had come down there to arouse the crew. They stepped up to one of the bunks and seizing the occupant by the shoulder shook him roughly.
“Halloo!” exclaimed the first mate, “this is one of our old hands, Jim Upham, and dead as a log yet.”
“Yes,” returned his companion with a chuckle, “and if he knows when he is well off he will stay that way as long as he can. I’ve a fine rod in pickle for him and his mate yonder in the next bunk, for it was owing to them that we were four days in finding a crew.”
The two officers proceeded to make the circuit of the forecastle, stopping at each bunk long enough to give the occupant a good sound shaking. The sober ones—those who had been on duty the night before—quickly responded, and as soon as they were dressed were ordered to rig the head-pump and get ready to wash down the deck; but the others—those who had been brought off in Rupert’s yawl—could not be aroused. The effects of the drug, whatever it was, that the landlord had put into their “last glass,” had not yet been slept off.
“Never mind,” said the first mate, “if they don’t come around directly we’ll put them under the pump. Who’s this?” he added, pulling the blankets off Guy’s head.
“Oh, he’s a young sneak who has come aboard to be hazed. He shipped for a sailor man, and don’t know a marlinspike from the starboard side of the vessel.”
“Eh?” exclaimed the first mate, stepping back a little out of the light and bending over until his face almost touched Guy’s, “haven’t I seen this young—oh, he’s a lubber, is he? Well, roll out and turn to.”
The expression in the mate’s eye and the tones of his voice indicated that he was about to say something else; but he recollected himself just in time. Guy knew that he had been on the point of referring to the scene in the court-room, and he was afraid that he might yet hear from the man concerning it, and at no distant day either. He did hear of it before a quarter of an hour had passed away. While he was busy at work washing the deck the first mate came up, handed him a swab, and under pretense of showing him where to use it, led him out of earshot of the sailors at the pump.
“I didn’t think I should have a chance to square yards with you so soon, my lad,” said he, with a savage emphasis. “Now I am going to make you think this ship is a frying-pan; and if I hear you lisp a word about what happened yesterday, I will kill you. Do you understand that? Answer me; do you understand it?”