s. I vas recollecks him. I vas here befores.
It vas Abingdon Islants; and ze voorst-mate is von big vool!"

As Jan Steenbock made this observation, a trifle louder than before, I
could see the face of Mr Flinders, all livid with passion, as he came
up the companion hatch behind the Dane.

"Who's thet durned cuss a-calling o' me names? I guess, I'll
spifflicate him when I sees him!" he yelled out at the pitch of his
voice; and then pretending to recognise Jan Steenbock for the first time
as his detractor, he added, still more significantly, "Oh, it air you,
me joker, air it?"

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

SETTLING MATTERS.

"Yase, it vas me," said Jan Steenbock, at once turning round and
confronting the other, not in the least discomposed by his sudden
appearance, and speaking in his usual slow, deliberate way. "I zays to
ze leedel boys here you's von big vool, and zo you vas!"

"Tarnation!" exclaimed Mr Flinders, stepping out on to the deck over
the coaming of the booby hatch, and advancing in a threatening manner
towards the Dane, who faced him still imperturbably. "Ye jest say thet
agen, mister, an' I'll--"

The second-mate did not wait for him to finish his sentence.

"I zays you's von big vool, the biggest vool of all ze vools I vas
know," he cried in his deep tones. Every word sounded distinctly and
trenchantly, with a sort of sledge-hammer effect, that made the Yankee
mate writhe again. "But, my vren', you vas badder dan dat, vor you vas
a droonken vool, and vas peril ze sheep and ze lifes of ze men aboord
mit your voolness and ze rhum you vas trink below, mitout minting your
duty. Oh, yase, you vas more bad dan one vool, Mister Vlinders; I vas
vatch yous ze whole of ze voyage, and I spik vat I zink and vat I zees!"

"Jee-rusalem, ye white-livered Dutchman!" screamed out the other, now
white with rage, and with his eyes glaring like those of a tiger, as he
threw out his arms and rushed at Jan Steenbock, "I'll give ye goss fur
ev'ry lyin' word ye hev sed agen me, ye bet. I'm a raal Down-East
alligator, I am, ye durned furrin reptyle! Ye'll wish ye wer never
rizzed or came athwart my hawse, my hearty, afore I've plugged ye out
an' done with ye, bo, I guess; for I'm a regular screamer from Chicago,
I am, an' I'll wipe the side-walk with ye, I will!"

This was `tall talk,' as Hiram remarked, he and several others of the
crew having turned out from their bunks by this time, roused by the
altercation, all