used a good many other stronger expletives, which need not be
repeated.

The boatswain was a bold fellow, but his courage gave way, and he
stepped back. The others, overawed by the determined manner of the
captain, imitated the example of their leader, knowing that the pistol
might be turned towards any one who stood his ground, and together they
retreated forward, tumbling over each other in their endeavour to put as
wide a distance as possible between themselves and their now furious
commander.

For my part, I felt a greater amount of respect for him than I had ever
done before. His eye did not for a moment quail, his arm appeared as
firm as iron. Had he shown the slightest hesitation, the men, in the
temper they were in, would have been upon him, and he would have lost
his authority.

Mark and I remained at one side of the deck, where we happened to be at
the time. Tom Trivett had not come aft, having refused to take any part
in the affair, whereby he gained still greater ill-will than before from
his shipmates.

The discontent which had thus shown itself, though kept down for a time,
was by no means quelled. We had to eat the food, bad as it was, though
perhaps not altogether as bad as the samples exhibited to the captain.

The third mate came forward much oftener than before, and tried hard to
win back the men into something like good-humour, but his efforts were
unavailing.

"You see, Mr Simmons, as how we poor fellows have got to work hard, and
except we gets good grub we can't do it," I heard the boatswain remark
in an insinuating tone; "it's very hard lines for us to have to eat
rancid pork and weevilly bread, when we knows well enough that the
captain and mates has good grub in the cabin. Share and share alike,
and we sha'n't complain. But we must abide by it till the ship gets
into harbour, and then we suppose that the captain will be getting good
stores aboard and will serve out fresh meat and vegetables."

"Oh! Of course he'll do that," said Mr Simmons, pleased, as he
thought, at having brought the men to reason. "You know Captain
Longfleet is a just man, though he's a determined one, and won't stand
nonsense. Everything will go well, I hope, by-and-by."

I should have observed that our boatswain held a very different position
among the crew to that occupied by a warrant officer on board a
man-of-war. He was merely one of the men, and was so called from
certain duties he had to perform