know that."

"Sure," assented Wada. "Other sailors he do that. But those three very
bad men he make good friends. Louis say second mate belong aft like
first mate and captain. No good for second mate talk like friend with
sailors. No good for ship. Bime by trouble. You see. Louis say Mr.
Mellaire crazy do that kind funny business."

All of which, if it were true, and I saw no reason to doubt it, led me to
inquire. It seems that the gangsters, Kid Twist, Nosey Murphy, and Bert
Rhine, have made themselves cocks of the forecastle. Standing together,
they have established a reign of terror and are ruling the forecastle.
All their training in New York in ruling the slum brutes and weaklings in
their gangs fits them for the part. As near as I could make out from
Wada's tale, they first began on the two Italians in their watch, Guido
Bombini and Mike Cipriani. By means I cannot guess, they have reduced
these two wretches to trembling slaves. As an instance, the other night,
according to the ship's gossip, Bert Rhine made Bombini get out of bed
and fetch him a drink of water.

Isaac Chantz is likewise under their rule, though he is treated more
kindly. Herman Lunkenheimer, a good-natured but simple-minded dolt of a
German, received a severe beating from the three because he refused to
wash some of Nosey Murphy's dirty garments. The two bosuns are in fear
of their lives with this clique, which is growing; for Steve Roberts, the
ex-cowboy, and the white-slaver, Arthur Deacon, have been admitted to it.

I am the only one aft who possesses this information, and I confess I
don't know what to do with it. I know that Mr. Pike would tell me to
mind my own business. Mr. Mellaire is out of the question. And Captain
West hasn't any crew. And I fear Miss West would laugh at me for my
pains. Besides, I understand that every forecastle has its bully, or
group of bullies; so this is merely a forecastle matter and no concern of
the afterguard. The ship's work goes on. The only effect I can
conjecture is an increase in the woes of the unfortunates who must bow to
this petty tyranny for'ard.

--Oh, and another thing Wada told me. The gangster clique has
established its privilege of taking first cut of the salt-beef in the
meat-kids. After that, the rest take the rejected pieces. But I will
say, contrary to my expectations, the _Elsinore's_ forecastle is well
found. The men are not on whack. They have all they want