Belfast,
turning his back on the bunk, "I will put a head on him if he comes near
you."--"I will smash his mug!" exclaimed faintly Wait, enraged and weak;
"I don't want to kill a man, but..." He panted fast like a dog after a
run in sunshine. Some one just outside the door shouted, "He's as fit
as any ov us!" Belfast put his hand on the door-handle.--"Here!" called
James Wait, hurriedly, and in such a clear voice that the other spun
round with a start. James Wait, stretched out black and deathlike in
the dazzling light, turned his head on the pillow. His eyes stared at
Belfast, appealing and impudent. "I am rather weak from lying-up so
long," he said, distinctly. Belfast nodded. "Getting quite well now,"
insisted Wait.--"Yes. I noticed you getting better this... last month,"
said Belfast, looking down. "Hallo! What's this?" he shouted and ran
out.

He was flattened directly against the side of the house by two men who
lurched against him. A lot of disputes seemed to be going on all round.
He got clear and saw three indistinct figures standing along in the
fainter darkness under the arched foot of the mainsail, that rose above
their heads like a convex wall of a high edifice. Donkin hissed:--"Go for
them... it's dark!" The crowd took a short run aft in a body--then there
was a check. Donkin, agile and thin, flitted past with his right
arm going like a windmill--and then stood still suddenly with his arm
pointing rigidly above his head. The hurtling flight of some heavy
object was heard; it passed between the heads of the two mates, bounded
heavily along the deck, struck the after hatch with a ponderous and
deadened blow. The bulky shape of Mr. Baker grew distinct. "Come to your
senses, men!" he cried, advancing at the arrested crowd. "Come back, Mr.
Baker!" called the master's quiet voice. He obeyed unwillingly. There
was a minute of silence, then a deafening hubbub arose. Above it Archie
was heard energetically:--"If ye do oot ageen I wull tell!" There were
shouts. "Don't!" "Drop it!"--"We ain't that kind!" The black cluster of
human forms reeled against the bulwark, back again towards the house.
Ringbolts rang under stumbling feet.--"Drop it!" "Let me!"--"No!"--"Curse
you... hah!" Then sounds as of some one's face being slapped; a piece
of iron fell on the deck; a short scuffle, and some one's shadowy body
scuttled rapidly across the main hatch before the shadow of a kick.
A raging voice sobbed out a torrent of filthy