The young American’s attention was taken by this incident for a moment; then Blake came driving at him like a bison; Ethan was penned up, his back to the throng of seamen, with no hope of escape by his usual tactics of retreat.
So he braced himself and met the rush with all the power of his square young shoulders. Once, twice, thrice he struck, throwing his head from side to side to avoid the swinging hits of the other. Then, suddenly, he felt Blake’s big body give before his blows; the next instant he was standing gazing with dazed eyes, at the prostrate form of the Ranger’s bully as he lay, with wide flung arms, upon the deck.
CHAPTER VI
WHAT HAPPENED BY NIGHT IN THE HARBOR OF NANTES
On the evening of December 2d, the Ranger’s cut-water sundered the ripples of Nantes harbor for the first time, and finding a safe and convenient anchorage, Captain Jones ordered the bow anchors let go and the ship stripped.
It was a middy who had informed the commander of what was going forward in the forecastle upon the night of Ethan Carlyle’s encounter with Blake. After much persuasion Ethan was induced to tell the cause of the struggle. The captain listened with wrinkled brows.
“It was Simpson who told the man that,” said he at length. “He dislikes me and takes no pains to conceal it. Before long he’ll have the crew demoralized. When an officer sets the example of insubordination the ship’s company rapidly follow in his wake.”
That night in the French harbor, the officer paced his quarter-deck with Ethan by his side. All was quiet; the gleam of ships’ lamps shot thinly across the dark waters; the low murmurous sound of the seamen came from the forward part of the vessel. The three lieutenants and some of the crew had gone ashore. Next day the commander, Ethan and Longsword were to start for Paris with the secret instructions for Benjamin Franklin.
Ethan saw that a cloud was upon the spirit of the great seaman, so he did not speak; at last the officer himself broke the silence.
“I have not yet thanked you,” said he. “But I do so now.”
“Thanked me,” exclaimed Ethan, in surprise.