down to straight business," said the
refractory Denslow, "there ain't any man got authority over us except
Mr. Look there, as foreman of the Smyrna Ancients and Honer'bles."

Mr. Denslow, mistaking the Cap'n's speechlessness for conviction,
proceeded:

"We was hired to take a sail for our health, dig dirt, and keep our
mouths shut. Same has been done and is bein' done--except in so far
as we open 'em to remark that we want to get back onto dry ground."

Hiram noted that the Cap'n's trembling hands were taking a half-hitch
with a rope's end about a tiller-spoke. He understood this as meaning
that Cap'n Sproul desired to have his hands free for a moment. He
hastened to interpose.

"We're goin' to start right back, Denslow. You can tell the boys for
me."

"All right, Chief!" said the faithful member of the Ancients, and
departed.

"We be goin' back, hey?" The Cap'n had his voice again, and turned
on Hiram a face mottled with fury. "This firemen's muster is runnin'
this craft, is it? Say, look-a-here, Hiram, there are certain things
'board ship where it's hands off! There is a certain place where
friendship ceases. You can run your Smyrna fire department on shore,
but aboard a vessel where I'm master mariner, by the wall-eyed
jeehookibus, there's no man but me bosses! And so long as a sail is
up and her keel is movin' I say the say!"

In order to shake both fists under Hiram's nose, he had surrendered
the wheel to the rope-end. The _Dobson_ paid off rapidly, driven by
a sudden squall that sent her lee rail level with the foaming water.
Those forward howled in concert. Even the showman's face grew pale
as he squatted in the gangway, clutching the house for support.

"Cut away them ropes! She's goin' to tip over!" squalled Murray, the
big blacksmith. Between the two options--to take the wheel and bring
the clumsy hooker into the wind, or to rush forward and flail his
bunglers away from the rigging--Cap'n Sproul shuttled insanely,
rushing to and fro and bellowing furious language. The language had
no effect. With axes and knives the willing crew hacked away every
rope forward that seemed to be anything supporting a sail, and down
came the foresail and two jibs. The Cap'n knocked down the two men
who tried to cut the mainsail halyards. The next moment the _Dobson_
jibed under the impulse of the mainsail, and the swinging boom
snapped Hiram's plug hat afar into the sea, and left the showman flat
on his back, dizzily r