The man rose instantly, and stood blinking to the splendor of the morning.
“Go aft and take the wheel,” said I. “The course is as you find it.”
I was about to put on the hatch cover.
“Aint I to be let up?” said Meehan.
“No.”
“Aint I to have anything to eat and drink?”
“Yes.”
“Hell seize the blooming lot of ye!” said he, and disappeared in a single stride.
I closed the hatch cover, but opened it shortly after to hand down a breaker of water, a quantity of provisions, and oil for the forecastle lamp. I say to “hand down”; but the ruffian was so sulky that he refused to answer to my call, and I had to tell him what I had brought, and to threaten him with thirst and starvation, before he would come under the hatch to receive the things. The belch of heat and of foul atmosphere was so disgusting when I first lifted the cover, that I guessed the fellow would suffocate if I did not give him some fresh air. The cover opened on strong hinges. I procured a bit of chain; then inserted a wedge to keep the cover open to about half the length of your thumb. I now passed the chain through the staple and the eye of the bar, securing the links at a place out of reach of our friend’s knife. This done, I went aft with Jimmy, and could scarcely forbear laughing to observe the lady Aurora in the posture of haranguing Call. She stood up before him, and menaced him with her forefinger; and she was saying as I approached:
“If you do not behave well it is death; I am a Spanish lady and know not fear. I will kill any man for my liberty or for my honor, and my liberty I must have, but I have it not while I am in this little ship. I desire to be at Madrid. Be honest and help Mr. Fielding, and your reward will be great I tell this, I—I—the Señorita de la Cueva—she tells you this on her honor as a Spanish lady.” She touched her bosom with her forefinger, then looked round and saw me close by.