“Wise kid,” Dick muttered. “I’m gonna give you a good one from old Perkins.”
Sandy started to duck.
But the blow never landed.
Instead, it was Dick himself who was whirled around now, while an angry voice said, “Ay tank Ay give you goot wan.”
Then there was a sharp spat of bone meeting bone. An expression of amazement came over Dick’s face. Then his face went blank and his knees buckled and he sank gently to the deck.
Gunnar smiled and lifted his enormous right fist for the rest of the shocked sailors to see.
“Ay yust tell you maybe Ay hit real hard next time.”
Murmurs of admiration came from the lips of the onlookers, and at that moment, Mr. Briggs sought to steal from the room. But Sam, who had also been awakened, moved to head him off.
“What’s your hurry, mate?” he asked easily.
“Well, er, I was, er, just going to....” Mr. Briggs stammered, clearing his throat. He cast a nervous glance at the big Swede, who stood glaring at him while, behind him, the big man, Dick, slowly pushed himself up from the deck. “Well, you see—” the mate stuttered, but then his eyes lost their fear and his face grew spiteful and defiant again as Captain West came sloshing into the room.