"Watch the Lord's anointed feed it then," snarled the ruffian, with a fierce oath. "Say a pater for its soul, for it's on its way to hell."
With that he fired again as the fish broached clear, and I must say one could hardly help admiring his shooting. The heavy bullet struck within an inch of the first, although the mark was now several fathoms distant and thrashing about at a great rate.
The shark whirled round and started off, leaving a trail of blood which showed like a dark cloud in its wake. In a moment it had disappeared.
"Don't swear so hard, my dear Mr. Andrews," cried Mr. Bell, in his high, piping voice. "You'll scare all the fish."
Andrews coolly broke his pistol at the breech and tossed out the empty shells. Then he reloaded it and handed it to the smiling, rosy-cheeked third mate.
"You stand by and take care of things while I spell Bull England a bit," said he. "Journegan," he continued, calling to the English mate, "you take the line for a while, and let that young fellow rest, while I try her bilge aft."
He stripped off his shirt and stood in his trousers. When I saw him, I no longer wondered why I had failed to overcome him in our first set-to. The fellow was a perfect mass of muscle, and while I gazed at his strong frame I wondered at the power in Trunnell's arms, which held us so tight and saved me that first day on board.
He came out on the frame, and I made way for Journegan to take the line. He took a turn, and over he went without delay.
After four or five attempts to get under the ship, he finally came to the surface with news. He had been under her bilge, clear down to the keel on a line with the main channels. Not being able to get further, and seeing the dark shadow of the keel ahead, he made out to examine as far as he could go. Close to her garboard strake on the starboard side he saw where a large butt had started, owing probably to the bad loading of the ship. This plank end starting outboard was evidently where the water came in.
Andrews came on deck after this, and all hands began overhauling gear to get a mattress upon the hole. Lines were rove and passed under the ship's bilge and keel. These were made fast on deck to the stump of the mizzen mast, and their ends brought to the capstan through snatch blocks. Planks were then strapped loosely on the lines and allowed to run along them freely, being weighted sufficiently to cause them to sink. After they were slung clear of the ship, they were held in position until a pad of canvas and oakum was inserted between them and the side.
It was quite late in the evening before this was accomplished, and work had to be stopped until daylight.
At the evening meal Andrews was more sulky than usual. It appeared that now, since there was a chance of stopping the leak, we would all be aboard the ship when she made port, for with the water out of her we might easily make the Cape in a fortnight.
Sackett said grace as usual, standing up and bowing gravely over the long board.
"What's the sense of asking the Lord to make us truly thankful for stuff what ain't fit to eat anyway," growled Andrews, when he finished. "You ain't got nothin' to be so blamed thankful for, captain. This grub'll sure make some of the men sick before we're through. If I ain't mistaken, some of them will be down with trouble before the leak is swabbed."
"I'll say what I think best, sir, at my table. If you don't like it, you can eat with the men," answered Sackett.
"Oh, I never said nothin' to the contrary, did I?" asked the fellow.
"Well, pay a little more attention to your behavior, or I'll make a passenger of you on board," said Sackett, who had lost patience.
"I never came here on those conditions, and I fail to accept them, my Lord's anointed. I wasn't asked to come aboard here. Since I'm here, I'll have my rights, and I don't call to mind the names of any one around about this ship as will take it upon theirselves to start an argument to the contrary. No, sir, I'll obey orders so long as they're sensible, but don't try to run it on a man like me, Sackett. I ain't the sort of stuff you're made to run against."
"Oh, Captain Andrews, you have such a dreadful way with you," piped Bell, the third mate, in his high voice. "Don't you know you really frightened me with such strong words."
Journegan laughed outright.
"If I have to put up with any more of your insolence, sir," said Sackett, quietly, "I'll have you bound and put away until we are in port."
"Oh, please don't hurt me, captain," cried Andrews, with his ugly smile. "I ain't going to do nothing mutinous."
"Well, stop talking to me, sir. Every word you say is mutinous. I'll have silence at this table, sir, if I have to bind you up."
"Cruel, unchristian man!" cried Andrews. "Journegan, my boy, this shows the uselessness of prayer. Here's a man praying one minute, and before the Lord has time to answer him he's ready to commit murder. Sink me, if ever I did see any use of praying one minute and doing things the next. It's wrorse than my pore old father used to be. 'My son,' he'd say, 'shake out the bunt of yer breeches,' which I'd do. Yessir, sink me if I didn't do it. 'Shake out the bunt of yer breeches and come here.' Then he'd grab me and yank me acrost his knee. 'Lord guide a righteous hand,' he'd say, and with that down would come that righteous hand like the roof of a house where the bunt of my pants had been. 'Lord give me strength to lead him into the straight and narrow path,' he'd whine; and sink me, Journegan, if he wouldn't give me a twist that would slew my innerds askew and send me flying acrost the room. Lead me into the straight and narrow path? Man alive, he'd send me drifting along that path like a bullet from a gun. What's the sense of it, hey?"
"There ain't none," said Journegan, snickering and rubbing his whiskers in appreciation of his friend's wit.
"Mr. Journegan," said Sackett, "you go on deck, sir."
"What am I doing?" asked the fellow, with a smirk.
"You go on deck, sir, or I'll be forced to take some action in the matter of discipline. Do you understand?" continued Sackett, now red in the face with anger.
Journegan rose leisurely from the table and went up the companion, whistling.
"And now, my young man," continued Sackett, addressing the third mate, "I don't want to have to tie you up with your friend, but you are not one of my crew, and I'll trouble you to keep still at my table. Mr. Andrews," he went on, "you'll have no further authority aboard here, and the sooner you get into the boat with the rest, the better it will be for you."
"That's where you make a mistake," said Andrews, coolly. "I'm second in command here now, and I'll stay until the ship sinks or goes to port, in spite of you or any one else, unless you care to give me credit for my share of salvage as a volunteer to bring her in."
"You will go to your room and not take any further part in the management of the vessel, I say," Captain Sackett ordered, "If you don't go freely, I'll order my men to assist you."
"If there's any one who cares to take the responsibility, let him step out and make known his name," said Andrews, in an even tone.
Sackett left the table and went on deck at once. I heard him calling for Jenks, England, and the rest, and I started up the companion, thinking to take a hand with Chips and Jim and our men. As I did so, Andrews cursed me foully, and the third mate made a remark I failed to hear.
Meeting Chips and Johnson, I sent the latter for Jim and Hans. Phillippi stood near the wheel, and I beckoned to him. When the six of us were together, I told them in a few words that Sackett was going to tie Andrews up for mutiny. They would stand by me and give him help if necessary.
We waited near the edge of the poop while Sackett told his men what he wanted done with Andrews.