front of the enemy,
then led out to the booby-hatch, on which lay a newly broached coil of
hambro-line and pile of thole-pins from the boatswain's locker. Here he
was searched again for jack-knife or brass knuckles, bound with the
hambro-line, gagged with a thole-pin, and marched forward, past the
prostrate first mate, who lay quiet in the scuppers, and the erect but
agonized second mate, gagged and bound to the fife-rail, to the port
forecastle, where he was locked in with the Chinese cook, who,
similarly treated, had preceded. The mild-faced steward, weeping now,
as much from professional disappointment as from stronger emotion, was
questioned sternly, and allowed his freedom on his promise not to "sing
out" or make trouble. Captain Benson was examined, his injury diagnosed
as brain-concussion, from the glancing bullet, more or less serious,
and dragged out to the scuppers, where he was bound beside his
unconscious first officer. Then, leaving them to live or die as their
subconsciousness determined, the sixteen mutineers sacrilegiously
reentered the cabin and devoured the dinner. And the appetites they
displayed--their healthy, hilarious enjoyment of the good things on the
table--so affected the professional sense of the steward that he ceased
his weeping, and even smiled as he waited on them.

When you have cursed, beaten, and kicked a slave for five months it is
always advisable to watch him for a few seconds after you administer
correction, to give him time to realize his condition. And when you
have carried a revolver in the right-hand trousers pocket for five
months it is advisable occasionally to inspect the cloth of the pocket
to make sure that it is not wearing thin from the chafe of the muzzle.
Mr. Jackson had ignored the first rule of conduct, Mr. Becker the
second. Mr. Jackson had kicked Sinful Peck once too often; but not
knowing that it was once too often, had immediately turned his back,
and received thereat the sharp corner of a bible on his bump of
inhabitiveness, which bump responded in its function; for Mr. Jackson
showed no immediate desire to move from the place where he fell. Beyond
binding, he received no further attention from the men. Mr. Becker, on
his way to the lazarette in the stern for a bucket of sand to assist in
the holystoning, had reached the head of the poop steps when this
occurred; and turning at the sound of his superior's fall, had bounded
to the main-deck without touching the s