Well, Simon’s father waited while one might have counted twenty, and then said, in a voice which was far from firm, because of the efforts to control his anger:
“The starboard watch may go below, and since it is a pleasure for some one here to act the part of ghost, I will see to it that he is converted into one before four and twenty hours have passed! Unless you were all old women, there would be no necessity for any words. You would know full well how ridiculous all this flummery is; but since you have turned women and are ready to tremble at the lightest sound, declaring it comes from another world, I will see to it the offender is brought up with a round turn. In addition, I’ll give that man who talks too much about this foolishness a round dozen by way of reminding him that there’s nothing ghostly in the lash of the cat. Now get below!”
The starboard watch obeyed on the instant, and Simon and I, thinking it might not be well to loiter on deck while the captain was in such a temper, followed them.
[CHAPTER V.]
THE PRISONERS.
I have made an attempt at describing the general situation on board the America while her crew had nothing more alarming to wag their tongues over than the carrying away of the topmast, but have spent my time in vain trying to show how they twisted that mishap into the ugliest kind of an omen.
Previous to the appearance of the supposed ghost, it seemed as if the conduct of the crew could not be more mutinous unless, indeed, they had risen with deadly intent against their officers; but now we two came to understand that the former condition of affairs was as nothing compared with the present.
Then the men had no more weighty subject for conversation than something which was really not out of the common, unless one chose to so twist it in his mind, and there remained ample opportunity for argument and individual belief.
Now, however, the situation was changed.