all the same, it didn't seem fair to me to be
left on board without being consulted."

I heard him take a short breath, as though my impudence him in the
wind. For a full half a minute eyed me slowly up and down.

"Get into your boat, sir, and return to the ship at once!
Mr. Rogers, this child is impossible. I must do what I would gladly
have avoided, and ask the ladies to give me more authority over him,
since they will not exercise it themselves."

At the implied sneer--and perhaps even more at the tone of it, so
foreign to the Captain Branscome that I knew--I blazed up wrathfully.

"If you mean by that," said I, "to threaten me with the rope's-end, I
advise you to try it. And if you mean that I'm child enough to be
tied to apron-strings of a couple of women, that's just of a piece
with the whole mistake you're making. No one's disputing your right
to give orders--"

"Thank you," he put in sarcastically.

"--To those," I went on, "who appointed you captain. But I wasn't
consulted, and until that happens, I shall obey or not, as I choose."

Now, this, no doubt, was extremely childish, even wickedly foolish,
and the more foolish, perhaps, because a few minutes ago I would have
given all I possessed, including my prospective share in the
treasure, for Captain Branscome's protection. But somehow, since
sighting the island, I had lost hold of myself, and my temper seemed
to be running all askew. Strange to tell, the Captain appeared to be
affected in much the same way.

"Why, you little fool," said he, "are you mistaking this for a
picnic?"

"No," I retorted; "I am not. And, if you'll remember, it wasn't I
who led the ladies to look forward to one."

He planted himself before me, and said he, looking at me sternly--

"See here, my boy, I don't want to make unpleasantness, and if you
force me to appeal to the whole ship's company, you know very well
you will find yourself in a minority of one."

"I don't care for that, sir. You'll be acting unfairly, all the
same."

"We'll let that pass. You tell here in the act of breaking ship,
that you're of an age to be consulted. Well, you shall have the
benefit of the doubt. You want to know, then, why I'm careful about
letting you run ashore? What would you say if I told you the island
has people upon it?"

"Why, first of all, sir, that if you found it out before dropping
anchor, it seems strange--your going ashore with Mr. Rogers and
leaving the rest