"I have told you the reason why I am interested in the man; I am under obligations to him," added Cornwood.
"I have no objection to your being interested in him to the last day of his life; but I am not sufficiently interested in him to have a man who draws a knife on another in this vessel," I answered. "I am not under obligations to him."
"I have done the best I can to serve you, and I thought a friend of mine might be entitled to some consideration," continued Cornwood, with an injured innocence of tone and manner.
"Your influence procured for him and his wife places on board; and Griffin might have retained his position, if he had behaved half as well as his wife has."
"Poor Griff lay down on the deck to take a nap----"
"I don't care to hear that argument over again. I could have passed over the scuffle, if he had not drawn his knife when there was nothing to provoke him," I interposed.
"The assistant engineer did not tell the truth when he said he did not lay the weight of his hand on him," protested Cornwood.
"I believe he did. I don't believe Griffin was asleep. He lay down with his ear to the skylight of the captain's room in order to hear what passed between me and the mate. This is the second time Griffin was caught in the act of listening. More than this, the assistant engineer was on the watch, by my order, for eavesdroppers, as will appear at the trial," I replied, with energy.
"By your orders?" exclaimed Cornwood.
"By my orders. Both the engineer and the assistant were asked to do this duty, because Griffin was seen before, skulking where he had no business to be."