ements of some big cautious
beast. It was Mr. Baker passing along the line of men. He grunted
encouragingly over every one, felt their fastenings. Some, with
half-open eyes, puffed like men oppressed by heat; others mechanically
and in dreamy voices answered him, "Aye! aye! sir!" He went from one to
another grunting, "Ough!... See her through it yet;" and unexpectedly,
with loud angry outbursts, blew up Knowles for cutting off a long
piece from the fall of the relieving tackle. "Ough!------Ashamed of
yourself------Relieving tackle------Don't you know better!------Ough!------Able
seaman! Ough!" The lame man was crushed. He muttered, "Get som'think for
a lashing for myself, sir."--"Ough! Lashing------yourself. Are you a tinker
or a sailor------What? Ough!------May want that tackle directly------Ough!------More
use to the ship than your lame carcass. Ough!------Keep it!------Keep it, now
you've done it."

He crawled away slowly, muttering to himself about some men being "worse
than children." It had been a comforting row. Low exclamations were
heard: "Hallo... Hallo."... Those who had been painfully dozing asked
with convulsive starts, "What's up?... What is it?" The answers came
with unexpected cheerfulness: "The mate is going bald-headed for lame
Jack about something or other." "No!".... "What 'as he done?" Some one
even chuckled. It was like a whiff of hope, like a reminder of safe
days. Donkin, who had been stupefied with fear, revived suddenly and
began to shout:--"'Ear 'im; that's the way they tawlk to us. Vy donch 'ee
'it 'im--one ov yer? 'It 'im. 'It 'im! Comin' the mate over us. We are
as good men as 'ee! We're all goin' to 'ell now. We 'ave been starved
in this rotten ship, an' now we're goin' to be drowned for them black
'earted bullies! 'It 'im!" He shrieked in the deepening gloom, he
blubbered and sobbed, screaming:--"'It 'im! 'It 'im!" The rage and fear
of his disregarded right to live tried the steadfastness of hearts
more than the menacing shadows of the night that advanced through the
unceasing clamour of the gale. From aft Mr. Baker was heard:--"Is one
of you men going to stop him--must I come along?" "Shut up!"... "Keep
quiet!" cried various voices, exasperated, trembling with cold.--"You'll
get one across the mug from me directly," said an invisible seaman, in
a weary tone, "I won't let the mate have the trouble." He ceased and lay
still with the silence of despair. On the black sky the stars, coming
ou