Part 18 (2/2)

This was the third day after we sailed, when the wind shi+fting to the south-west, and then to the south, we stood away to the eastward in order to double the North Foreland After so was h the leaks increased, and all hands in a watch were kept, spell and spell, at the pu, though he did not appear to lose his senses altogether The mate, however, looked very anxious as the vessel pitched into the seas each tiht she would keep afloat

”That's more than I can promise you, oes doe e to keep the leaks under; but if I were the captain I would run for Harwich or the Thames sooner than attempt to thrash the vessel round the Foreland”

”Why don't you propose that to hiree, just steer as you think best?” I said ”I suspect that he would not find out in what direction ere standing”

”Wouldn't he, though! Why, Peter, I tell you he would swear there was a mutiny, and knock me overboard,” answered the poor mate in a tone of alarm

He was evidently completely cowed by the captain, and dared not oppose hi over the boashi+ng the deck fore and aft, and the clank of the pumps was heard without cessation The captain sat in his cabin, either drinking or sleeping, except when occasionally he cla on to the cooing on well, went below again When I could pu it very probable that I should never see another sunrise By continually puht; but when I ca, the ue, toldon us We were now far out, I knew, in the Gero down, there was tooourselves

Soht the captain ca when there was a lull ”Hands about shi+p!” he shouted

The watch below tuot round

”Will you take charge, sir?” huht, and can scarcely stand”

The captain raved at him for a lazy hound ”I haven't turned in, either,” he said, though he had been asleep in his chair for several hours ”I want my breakfast; when I've had that I'll relieve you”

The mate made no reply, and as soon as the captain went below he hurried forward to bid the cook make haste with the cabin breakfast It was a difficult ht, or the pots on it in their places The weather seeh worn out with pu When the captain at last ca, he kept the away as hard as ever, and ordered Jily, as we knew that unless all exerted the ht up his quadrant, and sent below to su so densely over the sky that there was but little chance of doing this

”Might as well try to shoot the sun at rowled theme up for such fool's work?”

”What's that you say?” shouted the captain ”Do you call me a fool?”

”Yes, I do, if you expect to take an observation with such a sky as we have got overhead,” answered thethe quadrant he held in his hand at thewhat it was

It struck the o, and both were broken to pieces

”Here's a pretty business,” cried one of the men, ”I wonder noill become of us!”

Good reason we had to wonder Thehile ensued Both were too excited to knohat they were about, and the captain, as the stronger of the tould have hove the mate overboard had not the crew rushed aft and separated them

The mate then went below, and the captain rolled about the deck, staed on hi that he would at once put his fearful threats into execution and attack theto call the crew to my assistance should it be necessary I saw hirowling and , turn into his bed I waited till I supposed that he was asleep, and then I went to the e of the deck, sir,” I said ”And if it was to blow harder, as it seems likely to do, I don't knoill happen”

”Nor do I either, Peter, with such a drunken skipper as ours,” he answered ”What are the men about?”

”They have knocked off from the pumps, and if you don't coain they'll let the brig go doithoutany further effort to save her,” I answered

My reh the , or he would not have spoken as he did to the captain, he yet had soot up and came on deck