Clenching his fist as he came, he struck at me with all his tremendous strength, and, had he hit me, I am certain I should have been killed, but I was on the alert, and jumped to one side in time to avoid the blow. At the same instant the wind came again with great violence, the brig suddenly lurched, and my assailant pitched headlong against the starboard rail, striking his head with a force that knocked him senseless. The fact that he was attacking me did not prevent my hastening to his assistance. But quick as I was, another was before me. It was the first mate. He had come on deck in time to witness the skipper’s fall, and was already kneeling over the unconscious man when I reached his side. Tearing open the Captain’s waistcoat, he placed his hand over the heart, announcing a moment later:
“He’s only stunned, Master Dunn. I’ll have him taken down below, and do all I can for him. But you’d better keep out of his way for a while, and he may forget the whole affair.” Then rising, he directed two of the sailors to carry him down into the cabin. “Liberate Bill,” he added as he turned to follow them.
I was not slow to obey that order, and as I assisted the old tar in putting on his shirt and jacket, he said:
“I’m obleeged to ye, sir, for what ye’ve done, but I fear ye haven’t seen the last of it, an’ I’d rather ben flogged than got ye into trouble.”
“It’s all right, Bill,” I assured him. “Come what may, I shall never whip an innocent man. I should have done the same for any of the crew.”
“I knows it, sir, but Bill Howard won’t forget ye’ve done it for him, as ye’ll see,” and he went back to his station.
A half-hour later Master Marshall returned to the deck, saying:
“He wasn’t hurt any to speak of. There’s a big swelling on the top of his head, and he’s a little dazed over what has happened. But it don’t prevent him from going back to his rum. He’s pouring it down again as if it were water, and in a short time will be drunker than ever. I only hope he’ll keep so until we are in port. Then you can light out for Lisbon and join Captain Tucker. It will be safer than to stay here and face his anger when he does come to himself.”
“I won’t do that unless I have to,” I answered stoutly. “I’m as ready to do my full duty by Captain Weston as ever, but I won’t aid him in abusing innocent men,” and I explained how it was that Bill Howard had aroused the skipper’s wrath.
“I knew it was something of the kind,” he returned warmly, “for I was on deck in time to hear what you said. But you never know what freak a drunken man will take. He may forget this whole affair, as I have intimated, or he may hold the whole matter against you until he’s had his revenge. My advice is to leave the brig as soon as we are in port.”