'I'll see you sunk, burnt, and destroyed and doubly damned if I will,' said Balaam. 'I 'ates you, and don't hown to no obligation to you. You never was polite nor friendly. Now you're repentin'. You may go to blazes by express. My name's Balaam. I'm captain of this ship, and don't take horders from a scientific lubber like you. I ain't drunk—hic—though you say so. I'm as sober as a missionary, quite sober—hic—and hif you incites my crew to mutiny I'll sue you for damages and justice in Melbourne. Mr. Briggs, make sail, crack on!'
He retired to a hencoop and sent for the steward.
'Bunting, gimme a drop o' brandy and gin mixed with a dash o' rum in it,' said Balaam.
It was his favourite drink.
But in the Scanderbeg Wood was talking to Mr. Boden.
'All right, Mr. Boden,' said he, 'set the foresail and let us draw ahead. I'll not put up with this. We shall be starving in reality in three days. We'll get even as soon as ever the sea goes down.'
And somehow it got to the men for'ard that the situation was not to last. They ate pease pudding with loathing and smoked heavily.
'We relies on the old man,' they said. 'Oh, what a blighter old Balaam is.'
They kept a mile or two ahead of the Cormorant all that day, and when night fell again the sea was fairly calm and the sky clear.
'We've got three boats fit to go over the side,' said the skipper to Boden. 'Get 'em ready, and now it's dark you can have 'em swung out. Belaying pins will do.'