of tone and accent, that Duff trembled inwardly for the boy's safety.
"I know I'm in your power now, but I'd do it ten years from now if I
had to wait so long. I never knew a mountain man to take a beating
yet, without he got even--never!"

Such unheard of insolence appeared to deprive Gary of words wherewith
to do the situation justice.

"You know what I want!" he roared at Bludson, as he left the deck.
"See that it is done!"

The boatswain at once collared Ralph and took him forward, where both
disappeared in the forecastle.

While this scene was being enacted, Rucker leaned against the stern
rail idly picking his teeth, as his dull, hard eye glanced alternately
from the vessel's course to the parties most concerned.

"What in heaven's name is it all about?" asked Duff, when the two men
were alone but for the man at the wheel, who appeared to give no heed.
"What has the boy done?"

"He's too independent," replied the first mate. "He can't do nothing;
he couldn't even climb the fo'mast or walk the deck in a breeze. Such
green uns has no business bein' independent aboard ship. If I was
captain I'd a had him triced up to the mast and the paddle a going
afore now."

"The lad never saw a ship till yesterday. Isn't it a little rough to
expect him to find his sea legs in half an hour? He was seasick to
boot."

"Sea--thunder! You never sailed with Captain Gary afore, did you?"
Rucker regarded his junior with a peculiar smile. "I thought not.
Well--I have. I'll give you a pointer. He'd rather send this ship to
the bottom any time than stand any nonsense. That's him; and I'm sort
o' built that way myself."

Duff made no response, and soon returned to his stateroom, where he
remained until his own watch was called. He was a good sailor and a
nervy sort of a man, but there was something so peculiarly devilish in
the contrast presented by Gary's slight, feminine person and his
abnormal exhibition of rage that the second mate began to doubt whether
he had done wisely in shipping with an unknown captain on an unknown
voyage for the sake of mere high wages.

He finally fell asleep until wakened by the sound of two bells being
struck, followed by the hoarse cry of:

"Starb'd watch on deck, ahoy!"

CHAPTER XIV.

Bad Weather.

When the second mate reached the deck the wind had freshened still
more. In the southwest a low lying bank of slate colored cloud was
slowly diffusing itself over that quart