e partially intoxicated, and very silly and good-natured when
they are entirely steeped in the drunkard's cup. Such was Captain
McClintock. If he continued his potations up to a certain point, he
would pass from the crooked, cross-grained phase to that of the jolly,
stupid, noisy debauchee. Entirely sober, he was entirely reasonable.

"Here, youngster!" called the captain, as he stepped forward to the
waist, where Noddy was looking over the rail.

"Sir," replied Noddy rather stiffly, and without turning his head.

"Do you hear?" yelled the captain, filled with passion at the contempt
with which he was treated by the boy.

"I hear," said Noddy, turning round as slowly as though he had a year in
which to complete his revolution.

"Swab up that deck there; and if you don't move a little livelier than
you have yet, I'll try a rope's end to your legs."

"No, you won't!" retorted Noddy, sharply, for he could endure a whipping
as easily as he could a threat.

"Won't I?" cried the captain, as he seized a piece of rope from one of
the belaying pins. "We'll see."

He sprang upon the high-spirited boy, and began to beat him in the most
unmerciful manner. Noddy attempted to get away from him, but the captain
had grasped him by the collar, and held on with an iron grip.

"Let me alone!" roared Noddy. "I'll knock your brains out if you don't
let me alone!"

"We'll see!" gasped Captain McClintock, furious with passion and with
gin.

Unfortunately for him, he did see when it was too late; for Noddy had
laid hold of a wooden belaying pin, and aimed a blow with it at the
head of his merciless persecutor. He did not hit him on the head, but
the blow fell heavily on his shoulder, causing him to release his hold
of the boy. Noddy, puffing like a grampus from the violence of the
struggle, rushed forward to the forecastle.

The captain ordered the sailors to stop him; but either because they
were not smart enough, or because they had no relish for the business,
they failed to catch him, and the culprit ran out on the bowsprit. The
angry man followed him as far as the bowsprit bitts, but prudence
forbade his going any farther.

"Come here, you young rascal!" shouted the captain.

"I won't," replied Noddy, as he perched himself on the bight of the
jib-stay.

"Come here, I say!"

"I'll go overboard before I go any nearer to you. I'm not going to be
pounded for nothing."

"You'll obey orders aboard this vessel," replied the