"Now see here," and it could be plainly perceived that Bob was struggling to keep his temper within bounds, "them lads are here by accident, an' two of 'em don't know what work is, yet they turn to like little men. I consider that they've got the same rights on this craft as I have, an' the man who tries to make 'em obey foolish orders is bound to have considerable trouble with me!"
"There won't be any row if they stay in their place an' do a full share of the work," the red-nosed gentleman said very decidedly.
"It ain't for you to say what their place or work is!" and now Bob's temper was gaining the ascendancy.
"That's a matter of opinion," the man said in an offensive tone. "Me an' my mates reckon we've got jes' as much to say on this 'ere brig as you have. In the first place she was abandoned by her proper crew; the cubs were carried off in her, an' you jes' the same as drifted aboard. All you've done toward savin' her has been to run on this shoal. The tug's rightful engineer is in charge, so we've got nothin' to say about her; but we're calculatin' on stickin' to what's as much ours as yours!"
If Bob had been alone it is most probable he would have struck the speaker, and thus precipitated a fight, which very likely was just what the strangers desired; but Joe held him back as he said, in a low tone:
"Keep your temper, old man; this is no time for a row. Wait awhile."
"I'll soon show how much right I've got here!" he cried angrily, struggling to release himself from Joe's detaining grasp, and paying no attention to the wise advice.
"You couldn't do better than begin now," the red-nosed man said sneeringly as he and his companions put themselves in an attitude of defence. "Talk is cheap when a man hasn't got the nerve to back it up!"
"Have some sense about you," Joe whispered angrily. "Can't you see that a row is just what they want?"
Fortunately for all save the strangers, Bob realized the truth of this remark, and instead of rushing blindly forward to what would have been certain defeat, he stepped back a few paces to the foremast where he could reach a belaying-pin in case weapons became necessary, and Joe continued the conversation by saying: