most
certainly overhaul him, and hold him until the others came up.

"'Tis a 'tarnal fix," he said.

"Methinks 'tis a case of actum est de nobis," remarked Diggle pleasantly.

"Confound you!" said the captain with a burst of anger. "What could I
expect with a gallows bird like you aboard? 'Tis enough to sink a vessel
without shot."

Diggle's face darkened. But in a moment his smile returned.

"You are overwrought, captain," he said; "you are unstrung. 'Twould be
ridiculous to take amiss words said in haste. In cold blood--well, you
know me, Captain Barker. I will leave you to recover from your brief
madness."

He went below. The captain was left with Mr. Toley and the other
officers. Barker and Toley always got on well together, for the simple
reason that the mate never thwarted his superior, never resented his
abuse, but went quietly his own way. He listened now for a quarter of an
hour, with fixed sadness of expression, while Captain Barker poured the
vials of his wrath upon everything under the sun. When the captain had
come to an end, and sunk into an estate of lowering dudgeon, Mr. Toley
said quietly:

"'Tis all you say, sir, and more. I guess I've never seen a harder case.
But while you was speaking, something you said struck a sort of idea into
my brain."

"That don't happen often. What is it?"

"Why, the sort of idea that came to me out o' what you was saying was
just this. How would it be to take soundings?"

"So, that's your notion, is it? Hang me, are you a fool like the rest of
'em? You're always taking soundings! What in the name of thunder do you
want to take soundings for?"

"Nothing particular, cap'n. That was the kind o' notion that come of what
you was saying. Of course it depends on the depths hereabouts."

"Deep enough to sink you and your notions and all that's like to come of
'em. Darned if I ain't got the most lubberly company ever mortal man was
plagued with. Officers and men, there en't one of you as is worth your
salt, and you with your long face and your notions--why, hang me, you're
no more good than the dirtiest waister afloat."

Mr. Toley smiled sadly, and ventured on no rejoinder. After the captain's
outburst none of the group dared to utter a word. This pleased him no
better; he cursed them all for standing mum; and spent ten minutes in
reviling them in turn. Then his passion appeared to have burnt itself
out. Turning suddenly to the melancholy mate, he said roughly: