'If I was as soft—aw—as you want me to be,' said Bertie, 'they'd walk over the lot of us. I've just booted three to work, and I'll boot the rest in about three minutes, or I'll know the reason why, confound them!'
He went forward along the main deck and interviewed some of his men. Among them he interviewed one Arizona Bill, who was in a state of collapse to which he had long been a stranger. As he explained later, sea-sickness was an illness which resembled the results of drink combined with cholera and a few other very fatal diseases, and it took all the stiffening out of a man.
'Get up and get to work,' said Bertie pitilessly.
'Not much,' said poor Arizona, 'I'm dyin'— Oh!'
He said 'Oh' several times.
'Get up, or I'll kick thunder out of you,' said Bertie.
Even in collapse a gleam came in Arizona's eye.
'Don't you kick me, Bertie, or I'll kill you when I'm well,' he said.
And Forder came along just in time to prevent Bertie doing what he said. Forder grabbed him by the arm.
'You don't know what you're aimin' at, sir,' said Forder. 'Do you reckon they'll be sick the whole passage, Mr. Fortescue? If you want to kick any one, go and kick a Dutchman.'