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Updated: July 31, 2024
He emptied a sax-shooter down the deck last bout he had, and nigh perforated the carpenter. Another time he scoots after the cook chased him with a handspike in his hand right up the rigging to the cross-trees. If the cook hadn't slid down the backstay of the mast, he'd ha' been obeetuarised." Tom could not refrain from laughing at the last expression. "That's a new word," he said.
What other god than Salvé, he once asked ironically, had prevented the Irishman from taking the life of the miserable Spaniard down there in the hold? or what god other than Fear prevented the boatswain from felling Salvé himself to the deck with a handspike? Although Salvé despised the speaker, his arguments made no slight impression upon him.
In this was inserted with due care a quantity of the fibre, obtained by "picking" the old ropes into oakum. A crane was next erected over the cavity, a handspike forming one support and an oar the other. The crane itself consisted of the long iron arrow and socket of one of the harpoons found in the carcass of the cachalot.
On returning, he found Master Trench occupying his place, and Paul Burns standing beside him with a handspike in his grasp. Oliver had also armed himself with a marlinespike in default of a better weapon. "Go for'ard, my man," said the skipper, in a quiet voice, "an' tell your mates to get ready the anchor and stand by the cable. Haste ye, if you value life." The man slunk away without a word.
It may be that the peculiar way in which Paul Burns eyed him and toyed with the handspike had some effect on him. Possibly he was keenly alive to the danger which threatened them. At all events, he went to work like the rest! And there was occasion for haste.
"Howsomever, Doctor, there wa'n't no smooth sailin' nor fair weather with the cap'en; 'twas always squally in his latitude, and I begun to get mutinous and think of desartin'. About eighteen months arter we sot sail from Valparaiso, I hadn't done somethin' I'd been ordered, or I'd done it wrong, and Cap'en Twist come on deck, ragin' and roarin', with a handspike in his fist, and let fly at my head.
With this philosophic reflection, he curled himself up in his blankets and dropped into a sound, dreamless sleep. At six o'clock next morning the mate came thundering upon the fore scuttle with a handspike, following up the resounding blows with a yell of: "All hands ahoy! tumble up there, you sleepers, and don't wait to curl your hair.
While I was attending to those in front, and on either side, the one behind ran up with the handspike, and struck me a heavy blow upon the head. It stunned me. I fell, and with this they all ran upon me, and fell to beating me with their fists. I let them lay on for a while, gathering strength. In an instant, I gave a sudden surge, and rose to my hands and knees.
Nor was he at all inclined to cheer up as he stepped on the deck of the brig, and beheld Jackson with a handspike, still brandishing over his head, standing across the body of one of the seamen, whom he had just dashed to the deck with the implement in his hand. At the sight of Newton, the wrath of the new captain appeared to be increased.
"Nobody'll hurt a hair of her beautiful head," said the mate, with a tender smile. "Then I yield," said the skipper, drawing himself up, and delivering the handspike with the air of a defeated admiral tendering his sword. "Good," said the mate briefly, as one of the men took it. "What!" demanded Miss Rumbolt excitedly, "aren't you going to fight them? Here, give me the handspike."
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