Part 18 (2/2)

”The blacks, my man,” said the captain, sharply

”Yes, your honour, the black niggers, sir 'Let 'e 'em? You'll only make 'em want to bite'

But they wouldn't take no notice o' what I said, sir, and kep' it up till the poor chaps turned savage like, and it was hooroar, and all the fat in the fire”

”Stop, sir!” cried the captain, sternly ”Speak plain English, sir”

”Yes, sir; that's what I' to do, sir”

”You say that thethe two black hands, and you advised them not to?”

”Well, your honour, it was hardly adwice, because I said I'd shove ars bide”

Mr Staples uttered a curious sound, and the captain coughed

”Ah, well, you tried to make them stop their cowardly, unmanly tricks”

”That's it, your honour”

”Then now give uilty, and as each man's name is called let him stand out three paces to the front Go on”

Joe Dance scratched his head, but did not speak

”Now, coxswain, speak out The first man?”

”Adam,” whispered Bob to Mark, at whose elbow he now stood, and Mark jerked back his elbow into the boy's chest

”Well, sir, as the firstpardon, your honour,” said Joe Dance, gruffly; ”it was down in the fo'c'sle”

”I know that, sir, but I want to know the names”

A faint sound arose as if several men had drawn a deep breath

”Do you hear me, Dance?” cried the captain

”Oh yes, your honour”

”He won't tell tales of his messmates,” said Bob, with his lips close to Mark's ear

”Silence, Mr Howlett!” cried the captain, sternly ”Now, Dance, the na pardon, your honour, but there was only one dip a-going in the lantern, and it didn't give light enough to tell which was your right hand and which was your left”

”The names, sir!” cried the captain, as once ive yer one of 'em, sir, unless it was Tom Fillot”

”Hah! Stand out, sir”