, sometimes bringing her attention back to a line which
Grimalson had cast overboard, trying for a fish. Grimalson lounged
on the after-thwart--facing me, as you might say, and with his back
to the men, but lolling sideways over the gunwale. He felt the line
with his left hand. Close by his right lay a useless gaff. He had
exhausted our third and last tin of sardines for bait, without
effect, and--what was worse--had drained the oil down his throat
impudently, without an offer to share it. Also he had been drinking
salt water--and I had not troubled to restrain him. Farrell I could
hate, but this man was naught. Farrell lay on the bottom-boards at
my feet, breathing stertorously, with his head in what shade Santa's
gown and the side-sheets together afforded. But this fool seemed
intent on baiting the Pacific with a plummet, a hook, and a lump of
salt pork.

"As if this wasn't enough of grisly opera, of a sudden, in my
light-headedness I saw the three men stand up, join hands solemnly in
a sort of cat's cradle fashion, and advance aft, for all the world
like a comic trio, with the after thwart for footlights. They came
to a halt, close behind Grimalson, and--even as though I had ordered
a burlesque--Jarvis cleared his parched throat painfully, very
formally, and spoke across to me. You must picture the three, if you
will, still holding hands while he spoke.

"'Doctor Foe, sir,' said Jarvis oratorically, 'me and my mates, not
knowing the law, but being wishful to behave conformable as British
seamen, have cast it up together. And we allow 'tis no mutiny, being
situated as we are, to say as this Martinez was a shipmate, when
all's said and done, though a Dago, and Mr. Grimalson, meaning no
disrespect, done him to death by bloody murder. Which, consequently,
attaching no blame, we three, as loyal British seamen, two A.B. and
one ordinary, and giving our opinion for what it is worth, hold that
Mr. Grimalson was probably off his chump when he done it, and hasn't
behaved subsequently in a way to inspire confidence in a crew left as
we are. Whereby, Doctor Foe, not having pen and ink handy to make a
round robin of it, we hereby respectfully depose Mr. Grimalson, and
request of you to take over command of this craft, trusting you to be
a gentleman and being well aware of the consequences and ready to
face 'em. The others having said _Amen_, we'll consider the matter
finished.'

"There's farce somewhere in every