"Indeed? why?"
"They seem to think we might have made her a prize and taken her into port. In fact," added the mate, warming up, "I may as well tell you there's going to be trouble, sir."
"Mutiny, you mean?"
"Yep, and when they start there'll be blue murder. It's that swine we picked up that's been workin' the mischief."
"Then we must deal with him, Mr. Dykes."
"I guess it'll be a stiff proposition, Cap'n; he's gotten all the crew behind him. D'rectly you lay hands on him, it'll be like a spark in a powder-barrel."
"Then you regard him, virtually, as Captain of the ship?"
The mate made no answer, but shrugged his shoulders significantly. He believed that, in utterly disregarding the wishes of the crew, and, at the same time, maintaining an iron discipline, Calamity had bitten off "a bigger chunk than he could chew." However, he considered it prudent to keep this opinion to himself, and therein he was undoubtedly right.
"By to-morrow morning," went on the Captain after a pause, "all signs of mutiny will, I think, have disappeared."
"I hope to God they will, sir."