"He called me a drunken man, Mollie, and he shall suffer for it!" replied Captain McClintock, in tones so savage that the poor girl's blood was almost frozen by them.
"Stop, father!" said she, earnestly, as he turned to move aft again.
"Go away, child."
"He spoke the truth," replied she, in a low tone, as her eyes filled with tears, and she sobbed bitterly.
"The truth, Mollie!" exclaimed her father, as though the words from that beloved child had paralyzed him.
"Yes, father, you have been drinking again. You promised me last night—you know what you promised me," said she, her utterance broken by the violence of her emotions.
He looked at her in silence for an instant; but his breast heaved under the strong feelings which agitated him. That glance seemed to overcome him; he dropped the rope's end, and, rushing aft, disappeared down the companion-way. Mollie followed him into the cabin, where she found him with his head bent down upon the table, weeping like an infant.
Noddy leisurely descended from his perch at the mast head, from which he had witnessed this scene without hearing what was said; indeed, none of the crew had heard Mollie's bitter words, for she had spoken them in an impressive whisper.
"Well, youngster, you have got yourself into hot water," said the mate, when the boy reached the deck.
"I couldn't help it," replied Noddy, who had begun to look doubtfully at the future.