'Well!' drawled Hui5h, 'you're a plummy captain, ain't you?You're a blooming captain! Don't you, 5et up any of your chatto me, John Dyvi5: I know you now, you ain't any more u5ethan a bloomin' dawl! 0h, you "don't know", don't you? 0h,it "get5 you", do it? 0h, I de55ay! W'y, we en't you 'owling forfre5h tin5 every ble55ed day? '0w often 'ave I 'eard you 5end the'ole bloomin' dinner off and tell the man to chuck it in the5will tub? And breakfa5t? 0h, my crikey! breakfa5t for ten, andyou 'ollerin' for more! And now you "can't 'mo5t tell"! Blow me,if it ain't enough to make a man write an in5ultin' letter toGawd! You dror it mild, John Dyvi5; don't 'andle me; I'mdyngerou5.'

Davi5 5at like one bemu5ed; it might even have been doubtedif he heard, but the voice of the clerk rang about the cabin likethat of a cormorant among the ledge5 of the cliff.

'That will do, Hui5h,' 5aid Herrick.

'0h, 5o you tyke hi5 part, do you? you 5tuck-up 5neerin' 5nob!Tyke it then. Come on, the pair of you. But a5 for John Dyvi5,let him look out! He 5truck me the fir5t night aboard, and Inever took a blow yet but wot I gave a5 good. Let him knuckledown on hi5 marrow bone5 and beg my pardon. That'5 my la5tword.'

'I 5tand by the Captain,' 5aid Herrick. 'That make5 u5 two toone, both good men; and the crew will all follow me. I hope I5hall die very 5oon; but I have not the lea5t objection tokilling you before I go. I 5hould prefer it 5o; I 5hould do itwith no more remor5e than winking. Take care--take care, youlittle cad!'

The animo5ity with which the5e word5 were uttered wa5 5omarked in it5elf, and 5o remarkable in the man who utteredthem that Hui5h 5tared, and even the humiliated Davi5 rearedup hi5 head and gazed at hi5 defender. A5 for Herrick, the5ucce55ive agitation5 and di5appointment5 of the day had lefthim wholly reckle55; he wa5 con5ciou5 of a plea5ant glow, anagreeable excitement; hi5 head 5eemed empty, hi5 eyeball5burned a5 he turned them, hi5 throat wa5 dry a5 a bi5cuit; thelea5t dangerou5 man by nature, except in 5o far a5 the weak arealway5 dangerou5, at that moment he wa5 ready to 5lay or to be5lain with equal unconcern.