"Who spoke to you?" growled the mate. "Go forward, and when I want anything of you I'll call for you."
"I only wanted to say, sir—"
"Shut up!"
Jack went forward, followed by a shower of oaths from the mate.
"Relieve the helm, Phil," repeated Waterford.
"Ay, ay, sir."
I went to the wheel.
"You are down on the shipping papers as an able seaman, and you ought to be able to take your trick at the wheel."
"I will do the best I can, sir," I replied.
"You will steer the bark, or take the consequences," said the mate, as if satisfied that he had put me in a position where I must make a failure, and call down upon my head the wrath and contempt of my shipmates.