"And I say--stop all," said Phelan, decisively.
Corcoran rested on his oar, and for a few seconds O'Brien and Phelan sat looking at one another. It was plain O'Brien was angry, and that Phelan was resolute. Paulton had no key to the difficulty. The clumsy yawl rose to the top and slid into the trough of two long, slow rollers before either of the men spoke further.
Jim Phelan peaked his oar and broke silence.
"Mr. O'Brien, I told you I wouldn't, and I won't. That's all."
"You won't what, you stubborn fool?"
O'Brien was hot, but he had not lost his temper.
"I told you," said Phelan, leaning his great body forward, and resting his hands on his thighs, "as plain as words could be that I'd have nothing to do with the Whale's Mouth. You may not care about your life, Mr. O'Brien, but I have people looking to me. You're independent, and can do what you like; but neither for you nor any other man will I go nearer than I think safe to the Whale's Mouth. The Red Gap is bad enough at this time of year; but not at this time of year or any other will I have anything to do with that cursed hole in the Black Rock here. Now, sir, am I to put about?"
"I think you're taking leave of your senses, Phelan," said Jerry, testily. "What on earth put it into your head I wanted to go into the Whale's Mouth? Why, if I wanted to do anything half so plucky as that, I'd get a man with a red liver, and a heart as big as a sparrow's! Give way, I tell you."
An ugly look came into Phelan's face. He was not bad-tempered or quarrelsome, but he justly had the reputation of being the most daring and the strongest man in the village. He was not very intelligent, and this was the first time in his life he had been accused of cowardice. He felt more amazed than angry, but he felt some anger. He knew he could, if he chose, catch O'Brien by the feet and throw him over the gunwale as easily as the oar lying across his legs. For a moment he thought the cold swim would do O'Brien good, but almost instantly he saw the punishment would be out of proportion to the offence. He drew a deep breath, partly straightened himself, and, catching his oar, said:
"Are we to go on to the Red Gap, sir?"