“I am surprised,” said the captain, in a tone of annoyance, “that Messrs. Gray should have made such an agreement.”
“It is conclusive, however,” returned Guy, coldly. “Will you kindly see that seats are placed for my two companions?”
“It shall be done at the next meal. To-day they can eat as soon as we have finished.”
Though Guy might have demanded more than this, he did not care to make a fuss. He felt that in the controversy he had carried his point.
Guy spoke of the matter afterward to the two men.
“Why,” exclaimed Abner Titcomb, “the mean upstart! So he thinks we are not fit to sit at the table with his royal highness, does he? If I had him at my home in Maine we would soon see who is the best man.”
“I wouldn’t have consented to eat with the sailors,” said Luke Clark, “though there isn’t a sailor aboard that I don’t feel as much respect for as I do for Captain Richmond. But I know that he meant to insult and degrade us, and I have too much respect for myself as an American citizen to allow that.”
Though Guy had carried his point, neither he nor his companions enjoyed their meals at the captain’s table. The only other person who sat there was the mate, and he would often be on duty, so that he would not eat at the same time with them.
His name was Forbush, and he was a New Hampshire man, as agreeable as the captain was morose.
Generally there was very little conversation at meal-time. Captain Richmond addressed Guy, but seldom vouchsafed a word to Titcomb or Clark.