[“I’m not asking you lads to tell tales out of school,” the captain said], when we had followed him into the after-cabin where he had his quarters; “but I would like to know if the men are still chewing over the loss of the topmast.”
[“‘I AM NOT ASKING YOU LADS TO TELL TALES OUT OF SCHOOL,’ THE CAPTAIN SAID.”]
Simon, who had seemingly failed to observe that his father no longer treated him as a son, at once gave a very good description of the situation of affairs forward, and when his story was come to an end the captain dismissed us exactly as he would have dismissed two lads whom he had never met before; but I guessed that he was disturbed in mind because of the foolish fears of the men.
We two lounged forward again, once we were at liberty, and I would have spoken with Simon concerning his father’s odd behaviour, but that the lad cut me short by saying, quite curtly:
“Before coming on board I was told plainly what might be expected, therefore I can’t complain. My father first went to sea with an uncle, and now he is giving me the same treatment which he then received.”
“But where would be the harm if he allowed us the run of the cabin, now and then?” I asked, petulantly. “It would please me right well to sit at his table once or twice in a week.”
“That you will never do while we are members of the crew,” Simon replied, with a laugh, “and perhaps it is quite as well.”
“I’d like to know how you can figure that out?” and now I was grown quite hot. “If my uncle was on board, I venture to say both of us would be eating there every day in the week.”
“Which might not be to our advantage. Now the men treat us as belonging to their mess; but if we ate in the cabin while pretending to do duty forward, father says our lives would soon be made burdensome, and surely he ought to know.”