ntleman. You mustn't do anything to make Mr. Whippleton angry with
you; he'll treat you bad if you do. He was uncommon ugly this mornin',
and kicked me three times in the ribs to wake me, and then cussed me
like I wan't no account."

I suspected that Peter had been sleeping off the fumes of whiskey when
this ungentle treatment was bestowed upon him. Marian put her hand into
my vest pocket and took out my knife. She opened it, and was about to
find the rope that bound me, when the helmsman again interfered.

"Can't let you do it. Very sorry, but I can't. It would cost me all the
rest of the ribs in my body, and three on 'em's broke now."

"Will you let this young man be abused in this manner, you wretch?"
exclaimed Marian, whose gentle nature seemed to have assumed a new
phase.

"I can't help it, miss; 'tain't my fault. Mr. Whippleton's very ugly
this mornin'."

"You are a brute and a coward!" said she, reaching over me to the cords
that bound my wrists.

"Gorrificious!" shouted the negro. "You mustn't do that."

Mr. Whippleton suddenly sprang to his feet, awakened by the cry of
Peter. Rushing forward, he seized the arm of Marian, and dragged her
away from me. As the negro had intimated, he certainly was uncommon
ugly. His eyes were bloodshot, and his expression was savage.

"Let him alone," said he. "Let no one meddle with him."

"Mr. Whippleton, are you going to let him lie there in pain, with his
hands tied behind him?"

"That's just what I am going to do," said he, taking a bottle of
whiskey from under the seat, and pouring a quantity down his throat.

Perhaps he was afraid that his courage would fail him, if he were not
again fortified by the fiend which had doubtless inspired the evil deed
he had done to me.

"I can believe anything of you now, Mr. Whippleton," added Marian,
courageously.

"Believe anything you please, Miss Collingsby. You will have all you
want to do to think of yourself, without troubling your head about
Phil. I have taught him to mind his own business, and I am going to
repeat the lesson upon you. Go into the cabin!"

"Won't you release Philip--at least, untie his wrists?"

"No, I won't. Go into the cabin, and stay there. I don't mean to have
you on deck."

He moved towards her, and she was compelled to retire to the cabin in
order to escape further violence. I felt that I was alone then. My
worst, and it seemed to me then my last, catastrophe had come. I
regretted my blunde