“Put that man in irons!” bellowed a furious voice behind me; and, turning round, I beheld the skipper glaring like an infuriated animal past me at the carpenter’s mate, who was standing with clenched fists across the prostrate body of the boatswain.
“For what reason, pray, Captain Williams?” demanded I indignantly. “I do not know how long you have been here, for I did not hear you approach, but unless you have but this instant come upon the scene you must be fully aware that it was your boatswain who started this disgraceful brawl. His behaviour was absolutely brutal, and—”
I got no further; for while I was still speaking the villain suddenly seized me round the waist, and, being much more powerful than myself, pinned my arms close to my sides. “Here,” he exclaimed to one of his own people standing by, “just lash this young bantam’s arms behind him, and seize him to the rail, while I attend to the other.” And before I well knew where I was I found myself securely trussed up, and saw Simpson, Martin, and another of my men, fighting like lions at bay, finally overborne by numbers and beaten senseless to the deck.
“You will be very sorry for this outrage before you are many days older, Captain Williams,” I said as the fellow presently came and planted himself square in front of me.
“Shall I, indeed?” he sneered, thrusting his hands deep in his trousers pockets, and balancing himself on the heaving deck with his legs wide apart. “What makes you think so?”
“Because I will report your conduct to the captain of the first man-o’-war that we fall in with on the coast, and you will be called upon to give an account of yourself and your behaviour.”
“And supposing that we don’t happen to fall in with any of your precious men-o’-war, what then?” he demanded.
“Why,” said I, “it will merely mean that your punishment will be deferred a few days longer until we arrive at Capetown; that is all.”
“Ah!” he retorted, drawing in his breath sharply. “But supposing you should happen to go overboard quietly some dark night—”
“Like poor Mowbray, for instance,” I cut in.