Captain Savage was beating a sailor with a marlinspike for some breach of discipline.
The crew looked on without interfering.
The sailor was a fine, handsome fellow, and in vain begged the tyrant to desist. The poor fellow's face was streaming with blood, and Mont's anger arose instantly.
Rushing forward, he seized the captain's arm, and exclaimed:
"Stop that—I won't have it!"
The next moment he was alarmed at his rashness.
Turning upon him with incredible fury, the captain exclaimed:
"How dare you speak to me, youngster! I'll break every bone in your body!"
At a sign from the first mate, on whose face sat a smile of malicious satisfaction, four men fell upon Mont, whose arms were pinioned, and he was thrown on his back, where he lay perfectly helpless.
"Take him away," continued Captain Savage. "I will deal with him presently. It's a pity I took the young whelp on board; he should have drowned if I'd have known what he was made of."