"Some hands lay aloft and loose the fore and main top-gallant sails!" I called out. And turning to the carpenter: "Mr. Stevens," I said, "I'll navigate this ship for you and your mates to within fifty miles off the mouths of the Mississippi, as you wish; but on the conditions I have already named. Do you remember?"
"Oh yes," he growled. "We've done enough—too much, I dessay, though not more than the beggars desarved. All that we want is to get out o' this cursed wessel."
"Very well," I said. "But I won't undertake to pilot this ship safely unless my orders are obeyed."
"The men are quite willin' to obey you, so long as you're true to 'em," he rejoined.
"You may do what you like with the cuddy stores; though if you take my advice you will let the steward serve them out in the regular way, that they may last; otherwise you will eat them all up before we reach our journey's end, and have to fall back upon the bad provisions. But I must have control of the spirits."
"And what allowance do you mean to put us on?" demanded the carpenter.
"I shall be advised by you," said I.
This was turning the tables. He pulled off his cap and scratched his head.
"Three tots a day?" he suggested.
"Very well," I said; "but you'll stop at that?"