"Cruel, unchristian man!" cried Andrews. "Journegan, my boy, this shows the uselessness of prayer. Here's a man praying one minute, and before the Lord has time to answer him he's ready to commit murder. Sink me, if ever I did see any use of praying one minute and doing things the next. It's wrorse than my pore old father used to be. 'My son,' he'd say, 'shake out the bunt of yer breeches,' which I'd do. Yessir, sink me if I didn't do it. 'Shake out the bunt of yer breeches and come here.' Then he'd grab me and yank me acrost his knee. 'Lord guide a righteous hand,' he'd say, and with that down would come that righteous hand like the roof of a house where the bunt of my pants had been. 'Lord give me strength to lead him into the straight and narrow path,' he'd whine; and sink me, Journegan, if he wouldn't give me a twist that would slew my innerds askew and send me flying acrost the room. Lead me into the straight and narrow path? Man alive, he'd send me drifting along that path like a bullet from a gun. What's the sense of it, hey?"
"There ain't none," said Journegan, snickering and rubbing his whiskers in appreciation of his friend's wit.
"Mr. Journegan," said Sackett, "you go on deck, sir."
"What am I doing?" asked the fellow, with a smirk.
"You go on deck, sir, or I'll be forced to take some action in the matter of discipline. Do you understand?" continued Sackett, now red in the face with anger.
Journegan rose leisurely from the table and went up the companion, whistling.
"And now, my young man," continued Sackett, addressing the third mate, "I don't want to have to tie you up with your friend, but you are not one of my crew, and I'll trouble you to keep still at my table. Mr. Andrews," he went on, "you'll have no further authority aboard here, and the sooner you get into the boat with the rest, the better it will be for you."
"That's where you make a mistake," said Andrews, coolly. "I'm second in command here now, and I'll stay until the ship sinks or goes to port, in spite of you or any one else, unless you care to give me credit for my share of salvage as a volunteer to bring her in."
"You will go to your room and not take any further part in the management of the vessel, I say," Captain Sackett ordered, "If you don't go freely, I'll order my men to assist you."
"If there's any one who cares to take the responsibility, let him step out and make known his name," said Andrews, in an even tone.