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In the cabin lamps were burning. The view from the poop, along the length of the great labouring ship, was magnificent. Seas burst and surged across her weather-rail and kept her deck half filled, despite the spouting ports and gushing scuppers. On each of the two houses and on the poop the ship's complement, all in oilskins, was in groups. For'ard, Mr. Mellaire had charge. Mr.
He had nothing to say whatever, although Margaret and I were jubilant and dared duets through all of the second dog-watch. And this morning, in a smooth sea and gentle breeze, the Horn bore almost due north of us not more than six miles away. Here we were, well abreast and reeling off westing. "What price tobacco this morning?" I quizzed Mr. Mellaire. "Going up," he came back.
No; only half Chinaman. Other half Englishman. You know one island Napoleon he stop long time and bime by die that island?" "St. Helena," I prompted. "Yes, that place Louis he born. He talk very good English." At this moment, entering the hall from the deck, Mr. Mellaire, just relieved by the mate, passed me on his way to the big room in the stern where the second table was set.
The Maltese Cockney pulled the stroke oar, and among the other five men was one whose name I had but recently learned Ditman Olansen, a Norwegian. A good seaman, Mr. Mellaire had told me, in whose watch he was; a good seaman, but "crank-eyed." When pressed for an explanation Mr.
When I said she was strapping-bodied I erred. I must fall back on my other word, which will have to be the last: Miss West is vital-bodied. That is the key-word. When we had regained the poop, and Miss West had gone below, I ventured my customary pleasantry with Mr. Mellaire of: "And has O'Sullivan bought Andy Fay's sea-boots yet?" "Not yet, Mr.
For that matter, what has happened to the second mate? In the past three days we have by our eyes taken the census of the mutineers. Every man has been seen by us with the sole exception of Mr. Mellaire, or Sidney Waltham, as I assume I must correctly name him. He has not appeared does not appear; and we can only speculate and conjecture.
Aloof as the two officers are from the men, Captain West is still more aloof from his officers. I have not seen him address a further word to Mr. Mellaire than "Good morning" on the poop. As for Mr. Pike, who eats three times a day with him, scarcely any more conversation obtains between them. And I am surprised by what seems the very conspicuous awe with which Mr.
"A lunatic and a razor make a cruel combination," I remarked. "It's put five men out of commission," Mr. Mellaire sighed. "There's O'Sullivan himself, and Christian Jespersen gone, and Andy Fay, and Shorty, and the sheeny. And the voyage not started yet. And there's Lars with the broken leg, and Davis laid off for keeps why, sir, we'll soon be that weak it'll take both watches to set a staysail."
Mellaire, and meet our passenger." I could not help noting the air and carriage with which Mr. Mellaire came down the poop-ladder and took his part in the introduction. He was courteous in an old-world way, soft-spoken, suave, and unmistakably from south of Mason and Dixon. "A Southerner," I said. "Georgia, sir." He bowed and smiled, as only a Southerner can bow and smile.
He still stands his mate's watch, alternating with Mr. Mellaire, for he is firm in his conviction that there is no man for'ard fit to stand a second mate's watch. Also, he has kept his old quarters. Perhaps it is out of delicacy for Margaret; for I have learned that it is the invariable custom for the mate to occupy the captain's quarters when the latter dies. So Mr.
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