Part 38 (2/2)
”Are you English?” the lieutenant asked, when this manoeuver had been completed.
”Italiano!” the captain of the bark replied.
”Then what's that flag doing there?” the Coast Guard officer asked, pointing to the reversed British merchant flag which still hung at the gaff.
The other shrugged his shoulders.
”The only one I have. The mate he take the others,” he answered.
”Where's the mate?”
An evil-looking fellow with rings in his ears and a long knife stuck in his belt slouched forward. He did not come alone. Half a dozen sailors, evidently part of a gang, came aft with him.
Thinking that a little example might be salutary, the lieutenant turned to the file of men who had come on board with him. The men had their rifles at the carry.
”'Tion! Order arms!”
The b.u.t.ts of the rifles came down on the s.h.i.+p's deck with the precision of clockwork and the rattle was ominous. The Coast Guard officer had a steely note in his voice, as he continued.
”You're the mate?”
”Yes,” the man said sulkily, but in good English, ”I'm the first mate, all right.”
”Did you remove the signal flags from the locker?”
”What if I did?”
”Did you receive orders from your captain to do so?”
”Not exactly--”
”Yes or no!”
”N-no!”
”And was he on deck at the time?”
”Yes.”
”Did he order you not to haul down the flag?”
”I don't have to do everything he tells me.”
”Did he order you not to haul down the flag? Yes or no?”
”Well, yes.”
”And did you haul it down several times?”
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