Part 24 (1/2)
Mr. Holdfast is a much more agreeable man to deal with.”
”I agree with you. As a pa.s.senger, I shall not recognize the captain's authority on sh.o.r.e.”
”Nor I.”
Meanwhile, the mate and the two boys had pulled to the s.h.i.+p, and, securing the boat, scrambled on deck.
”Good-morning, Captain Hill; I am glad to meet you once more,” said the mate.
”Humph!” growled the captain, not over politely. ”When did you reach here?”
”Yesterday morning.”
”Where are the rest of the party?”
”We have a little camp just back of the bluff.”
”I see you have been removing articles from the s.h.i.+p,” continued the captain, in a tone of disapproval.
”Certainly,” answered the mate. ”We need them, and I didn't know how long the s.h.i.+p would last.”
”It seems in no immediate danger of going to pieces.”
”Things look more favorable than they did yesterday morning. What sort of a trip did you have in the boat?”
”A curious question to ask,” said the captain, captiously. ”We were in danger of being swamped more than once.”
”We had better have remained on board the Nantucket with you, Mr. Holdfast,” said Appleton, the Melbourne merchant.
Captain Hill chose to take offense at this remark.
”You were quite at liberty to stay, Mr. Appleton,” he said. ”I didn't urge you to go with me.”
”True, Captain Hill; but I trusted to your opinion that the s.h.i.+p was unsafe.”
The captain looked angry, but did not make any reply.
By the sailors Mr. Holdfast was warmly greeted. He was much better liked than the captain, being a man of even temper and reasonable in his demands.
CHAPTER XV
THE LAST OF THE ”NANTUCKET”
Though the mate had removed some of the stores, much the larger portion was left on board, for the Nantucket had been provisioned for a long voyage. Yet Captain Hill saw fit to complain.
”It is fortunate that you didn't take all the stores, Mr. Holdfast,”
he remarked, in a sarcastic tone.