Black and savage though he is, the man must
have good qualities. I'm afraid it was a mistake to keep the two poor
fellows on board."

"Hasn't turned out well so far, sir," said the first lieutenant,
gruffly. "There, sir, it's for you to settle about the punishment.
Something must be done."

"The plus seems to me to balance the minus, Staples," said the captain.
"I want to do something, but these poor savages cannot understand."
Then to the men gathered below, "Look here, my lads, with respect to
this affray--"

"Beg pardon, sir," came from forward.

"Who's that?" said the captain, sternly. "How dare you interrupt!"

"Axing your pardon, sir, Joe Dance, sir, coxswain fust cutter."

"Well, what is it, sir?"

"I only wanted to say, sir, as I was down below, and I kep' on saying to
the lads, sir, as was a teasing the niggers--"

"The blacks, my man," said the captain, sharply.

"Yes, your honour, the black niggers, sir. `Let 'em bide,' I says;
`what's the good o' teasing 'em? You'll only make 'em want to bite.'
But they wouldn't take no notice o' what I said, sir, and kep' it up
till the poor chaps turned savage like, and it was hooroar, and all the
fat in the fire."

"Stop, sir!" cried the captain, sternly. "Speak plain English, sir."

"Yes, sir; that's what I'm a-trying to do, sir."

"You say that the men were teasing and baiting the two black hands, and
you advised them not to?"

"Well, your honour, it was hardly adwice, because I said I'd shove my
fist in someone's eye if he didn't let the poor beggars bide."

Mr Staples uttered a curious sound, and the captain coughed.

"Ah, well, you tried to make them stop their cowardly, unmanly tricks."

"That's it, your honour."

"Then now give me the names of the men who were guilty, and as each
man's name is called let him stand out three paces to the front. Go
on."

Joe Dance scratched his head, but did not speak.

"Now, coxswain, speak out. The first man?"

"Adam," whispered Bob to Mark, at whose elbow he now stood, and Mark
jerked back his elbow into the boy's chest.

"Well, sir, who was the first man?" cried the captain. "Beg pardon,
your honour," said Joe Dance, gruffly; "it was down in the fo'c'sle."

"I know that, sir, but I want to know the names."

A faint sound arose as if several men had drawn a deep breath.

"Do you hear me, Dance?" cried the captain.

"Oh yes, your honour."

"He won't tell tales of his messmates," said Bob,