aid
of the huge paws of Mr. Pike, the fingers much longer than mine and twice
as thick, the wrists massive-boned, the arm-bones and the shoulder-bones
of the same massive order. With one flip of his right hand, with what I
might call an open-handed, lifting, upward slap, save that it was the
ends of the fingers only that touched Larry's face, he lifted Larry into
the air, sprawling him backward on his back across his sea-bag.

The man alongside of Larry emitted a menacing growl and started to spring
belligerently to his feet. But he never reached his feet. Mr. Pike,
with the back of same right hand, open, smote the man on the side of the
face. The loud smack of the impact was startling. The mate's strength
was amazing. The blow looked so easy, so effortless; it had seemed like
the lazy stroke of a good-natured bear, but in it was such a weight of
bone and muscle that the man went down sidewise and rolled off the hatch
on to the deck.

At this moment, lurching aimlessly along, appeared O'Sullivan. A sudden
access of muttering, on his part, reached Mr. Pike's ear, and Mr. Pike,
instantly keen as a wild animal, his paw in the act of striking
O'Sullivan, whipped out like a revolver shot, "What's that?" Then he
noted the sense-struck face of O'Sullivan and withheld the blow. "Bug-
house," Mr. Pike commented.

Involuntarily I had glanced to see if Captain West was on the poop, and
found that we were hidden from the poop by the 'midship house.

Mr. Pike, taking no notice of the man who lay groaning on the deck, stood
over Larry, who was likewise groaning. The rest of the sprawling men
were on their feet, subdued and respectful. I, too, was respectful of
this terrific, aged figure of a man. The exhibition had quite convinced
me of the verity of his earlier driving and killing days.

"Who's the old stiff now?" he demanded.

"'Tis me, sir," Larry moaned contritely.

"Get up!"

Larry got up without any difficulty at all.

"Now get for'ard to the windlass! The rest of you!"

And they went, sullenly, shamblingly, like the cowed brutes they were.

CHAPTER VI

I climbed the ladder on the side of the for'ard house (which house
contained, as I discovered, the forecastle, the galley, and the donkey-
engine room), and went part way along the bridge to a position by the
foremast, where I could observe the crew heaving up anchor. The
_Britannia_ was alongside, and we were getting under way.

A considera