in the
impotence of his anger. "Remember, I can tell things about you," he
added, pointing his finger at the mate, as though he were actually
indicating a visible mark of guilt.

"Shut up," said Mr. Spokesly, staring hard through the telescope. "Hold
her on that now, Quartermaster, till I give the word. There will be
enough light soon."

Captain Rannie came up to his chief officer's shoulder and whispered:

"You're in this as deep as I am, remember."

"I'm not in it at all and don't you forget it," bawled Mr. Spokesly. The
man at the wheel said suddenly in a querulous tone:

"I can't see to steer."

Captain Rannie had fallen back against the binnacle and the sleeve of
his coat covered the round hole through which the compass could be seen.

"You threaten me?" he whimpered. "You threaten the master of the ship?"

"Threaten!" repeated Mr. Spokesly, looking eagerly through the
binoculars. "Couple of points to starboard, you. I reckon she's all
right now," he muttered to himself, "but we'll go half speed for a bit,"
and he pulled the handle. At the sound of the reply gong and the
obsequious movement of the pointer on the dial Captain Rannie was
galvanized into fresh life. It was as though the sound had reminded him
of something.

"You've been against me ever since you came aboard," he announced. "I
noticed it from the first. You had made up your mind to give me all the
trouble you possibly could. I don't know how it is, I'm sure, but I
always get the most insubordinate and useless officers on my ship. You
go in these big lines and get exaggerated ideas of your own importance,
and then come to me and try it on here. How can a commander get on with
officers who defy him and incite the crew to mutiny? Don't deny it. What
you're doing now is mutiny. It may take time, but I'll do it. I'll get
you into all the trouble I possibly can for this. I--I--I'll log the
whole thing. I'm sorry I ever shipped you. I might have known. I
suspected something of the sort. A manner you had in the office.
Impudent, insubordinate, self-sufficient. On the beach. Not a suit of
clothes to your back. Had to borrow money--_I_ heard all about it. And
then bringing a woman on the ship. Told some sort of tale to the owner.
All very fine. I might as well tell you now, since you've taken this
attitude, that I knew we wouldn't get on. If it had been a regular
voyage I wouldn't have had you. It's been nothing but trouble since you
came. The other