g feller," said the skipper,
leaning over the rail above us. "When there's any orders to be given,
I'll attend to matters myself." He spoke in a low, even tone, and his
eyes seemed to focus to two sharp, bright points at the sailor, making
his great beak-like nose more prominent.

"Cast me adrift, Trunnell," commanded the ruffian Andrews, with an oath.
"I'm a-going to kill that lubber you've got for mate anyhow, and it might
as well be done at once as any other time. We'll settle the matter about
who's skipper afterward."

"I hears ye well enough, Cap'n Andrews," said Trunnell; "but I ain't
eggzactly clear in my mind as to how ye have authority aboard. If I was,
I'd cast ye adrift in spite o' the whole crowd, an' ye could rip an' cut
to your bloody heart's content. Ye know I'd back ye if 'twas all right
and proper; but I never disobeyed an order yet, and stave me, I never
will. I don't care who gives it so long as he has the right."

"Spoken like a man an' a sailor," came the sudden sharp tones of the
skipper on the poop; and as I looked, the skipper drew forth a watch in
one hand and a long revolver in the other, which clicked to readiness as
it came in a line between his eye and the body of Andrews. "You have just
a few seconds less than a minute to get that fellow forrads and out of
the way," he said slowly, as if counting his words, I made no movement to
drag the ruffian away, for at that minute I would have offered no
objection whatever to seeing the skipper make a target of him; but
Trunnell and the sailor Jim instantly seized Andrews, while he cursed the
captain and dared him shoot. He struggled vainly to get free of his
lashings, but the little bushy-headed mate tucked him under his arm,
while Jim took his feet, and the crowd of gaping men broke away as they
went forward.

III

After I had recovered from my somewhat violent exertions, and bound up
the slight cut that Andrews had made in my hand with his knife, eight
bells had struck, and the steward brought aft the cabin hash. The skipper
went below, and Trunnell and I followed.

Captain Thompson seated himself at the head of the table and signed for
us to take our places; then it suddenly occurred to me that I was only
second mate, and consequently did not rate the captain's table. Trunnell
noticed my hesitation, but said nothing, and the skipper fell to with
such a hearty good will that he appeared to entirely forget my presence.
I hastily made