Part 11 (1/2)
They had another quarrel.
At the end of it they went on deck. The captain stood at the stern addressing the bow with opprobrious language. When he perceived the voyagers he began to fling his fists about in the air.
”I'm goin' to put yeh off!” he yelled. The wanderers stared at each other.
”Hum,” said the tall man.
The freckled man looked at his companion. ”He's going to put us off, you see,” he said, complacently.
The tall man began to walk about and move his shoulders. ”I'd like to see you do it,” he said, defiantly.
The captain tugged at a rope. A boat came at his bidding.
”I'd like to see you do it,” the tall man repeated, continually. An imperturbable man in rubber boots climbed down in the boat and seized the oars. The captain motioned downward. His whisker had a triumphant appearance.
The two wanderers looked at the boat. ”I guess we'll have to get in,”
murmured the freckled man.
The tall man was standing like a granite column. ”I won't,” said he. ”I won't! I don't care what you do, but I won't!”
”Well, but--” expostulated the other. They held a furious debate.
In the meantime the captain was darting about making sinister gestures, but the back of the tall man held him at bay. The crew, much depleted by the departure of the imperturbable man into the boat, looked on from the bow.
”You're a fool,” the freckled man concluded his argument.
”So?” inquired the tall man, highly exasperated.
”So! Well, if you think you're so bright, we'll go in the boat, and then you'll see.”
He climbed down into the craft and seated himself in an ominous manner at the stern.
”You'll see,” he said to his companion, as the latter floundered heavily down. ”You'll see!”
The man in rubber boots calmly rowed the boat toward the sh.o.r.e. As they went, the captain leaned over the railing and laughed. The freckled man was seated very victoriously.
”Well, wasn't this the right thing after all?” he inquired in a pleasant voice. The tall man made no reply.
CHAPTER VI
As they neared the dock something seemed suddenly to occur to the freckled man.
”Great heavens!” he murmured. He stared at the approaching sh.o.r.e.
”My, what a plight, Tommy!” he quavered.
”Do you think so?” spoke up the tall man. ”Why, I really thought you liked it.” He laughed in a hard voice. ”Lord, what a figure you'll cut.”
This laugh jarred the freckled man's soul. He became mad.