He and Corlett led the man for'ard and put him in his bunk, where he wept copiously.
"What are you so sad about?" asked Corlett. "You're no better than a soldier!"
The whole watch crowded in after them.
"What's wrong?" they asked.
"The chap that's tanked up says 'e's Brogger," said Eales.
The whole watch laughed so that the port watch woke up and cursed them with unanimous blasphemy.
"But this josser says 'e's Brogger!" urged the starboard watch in extenuation of their gross infraction of fo'c'sle law.
"Then 'e's no seaman," said the sulky port watch, "for Brogger 'ardly knew 'B' from a bull's foot as a sailorman. Dry up, and let us go to sleep!"
But Brogger kept on saying he was Brogger, till Pizzey, the biggest seaman in the port watch, threatened to bash him if he wasn't quiet.
"But—but I know you all," said Brogger. "If I wasn't me, how should I?"