“Why cannot we appeal to the consul?” I questioned. “Surely he will take our word against that of a drunken captain.”
“He may not give us the chance to make any complaint against him,” he replied, “but we’ll see. I only fear he will vent his anger in some way on you before we can make any move to prevent it.”
I tried to think that he was altogether too apprehensive of coming trouble, though I confess I finished my watch with much heaviness of heart. Then, having determined to face the worst immediately, I went down to my quarters as usual for a much needed rest. No sooner had I entered the cabin, however, than I found for the present at least I had nothing to fear, as the captain lay in a drunken stupor.
Throwing myself into my berth, I tossed about for some time, thinking over the incidents of the last hour or two. It seemed therefore as though I had scarcely closed my eyes when there came a call: “All hands on deck!”
I leaped to my feet, ran quickly to the ladder, noticing as I ran that the captain was still lying there in the same condition in which I had found him on entering the cabin, and clambered to the deck. A single glance told me why we had been called. The storm, which was brewing during my last watch, now raged in full force and the brig, under shortened sail, was staggering along before it, while the huge waves were chasing her and threatening to engulf her.
Master Marshall met me at the hatch.
“How’s the Captain?” he inquired somewhat anxiously. “Is he of any use to us?”
“Not the slightest,” I replied. “He don’t even know that I have been into the cabin.”
“Then, Master Dunn, we shall have to fight out the storm for ourselves,” he declared. “That is why I have called you to the deck. You must share the responsibility with me. What more would you do than I have done?”
I ran my eye over the craft. All her top-sails were taken in, but she still carried her mainsail, her foresail, and her jibs. Under these she dove her bow into the waves. It was evident she was too heavy forward to ride easily under the gale, so I said promptly: