He looked at this officer. He didn’t like his looks at all. He looked too snappish and ill-tempered.
“A bite from that lipless mouth would be worse than its bark,” he thought, “though the bark has a curse in it.”
This man called out something to the master of the boat, who stood up and answered with a question, which Hi thought civilly put. It brought down a storm of oaths from the officer, who repeated his original remark in the tone of an order. Very politely the master again objected, pointing to Hi.
“What is it?” Hi whispered to Chigo.
“He tells us not to land,” Chigo whispered. “The padron ask if you may land.”
“Sir,” Hi called to him, “I am English. May I not land here?”
“What you say?” the officer asked.
“I am English. May I land here?”
“You are Inglays?”
“Si.”