"Very well."
"Stand on your feet like a man."
"What for? You'll only knock me down again!" and Franz grinned comically and grotesquely upward, through the gap in his mouth where two of his teeth had been punched out earlier in the voyage.
It was easy to see that Franz's curious attitude of non-resistance had the mate puzzled what to do next. All the sailors indulged in furtive laughter. None of them had a very deep-rooted love for Miller, and, for the first time, they rather sympathised with the man who had been shanghaied ... some of them even snickered audibly ... and straightway grew intent on their work....
Miller turned irritably on them. "And what's the matter with you!"...
"Bring him up here!" shouted Captain Schantze.
Four sailors picked Franz up and carried him, unresisting, bumping his back on the steps as he sagged like a sack half full of flour....
"Here! I've had about enough of this!" cried the captain, furious, "tie him to the rail again!..."
"Now, we'll leave you there, on bread and water, till you say you'll work."
"What does it matter what you do," sauced Franz; "we'll be in port in four days ... and then you'll see what I'll do!"