"Well," cried the captain impatiently, "we're not feathers or chaff that we need be afraid of our being blown away, my sons." He spoke with the impatient irritation of a man who knew he was being fenced with, and knew the men who were fencing with him would not be so unstraight, only that they wished to break to him some unpleasant fact.
"What is it?" the captain asked, seeing them all hesitate.
"We think, sir, there is something wrong with the steering-gear."
"With the steering-gear! With what part of the steering-gear? The chain?"
"No."
"The tackles?"
"No."
"The wheel?"
"No."
"The helm?"