"Captain Haley!" roared the new commander. "If you don't know my position on board this ship, it's time you found it out!"
Robert mourned sincerely at the death of Captain Evans, by whom he had always been treated with the utmost kindness. Even had he not been influenced by such a feeling, he would have regarded with apprehension6 the elevation7 to the command of one whom he well knew to be actuated by a feeling of enmity to himself. He resolved to be as prudent8 as possible, and avoid, as far as he could, any altercation9 with Haley. But the latter was determined10, now that he had reached the command, to pick a quarrel with our hero, and began to cast about for a fitting occasion.
Now that Captain Evans was dead, Robert spent as much time as the latter's duties would permit with Frank Price. The boys held long and confidential11 conversations together, imparting to each other their respective hopes and wishes. Haley observed their intimacy12 and mutual13 attachment14, and, unable to assert his authority over Robert, who was a passenger, determined to strike at him through his friend. His determination was strengthened by a conversation which he overheard between the boys when they supposed him beyond earshot.
"I wish Captain Evans were alive," said Frank. "I liked him, and I don't like Captain Haley."
"Captain Evans was an excellent man," said Robert.
"He knew how to treat a fellow," said Frank. "As long as he saw us doing our best, he was easy with us. Captain Haley is a tyrant15."
"Be careful what you say, Frank," said Robert. "It isn't safe to say much about the officers."
"I wouldn't say anything, except to you. You are my friend."
"I am your true friend, Frank, and I don't want you to get into any trouble."
"I am sure you don't like the captain any better than I do."
"I don't like the captain, for more reasons than I can tell you; but I shall keep quiet, as long as I am on board this ship."
"Are you going back with us?"
"I don't know. It will depend upon circumstances. I don't think I shall, though I might have done so had Captain Evans remained in command."
"I wish I could leave it, and stay with you."
"I wish you could, Frank. Perhaps you can."
"I will try."
Haley overheard the last part of this conversation. He took particular notice of Robert's remark that he would keep quiet as long as he remained on board the ship, and inferred that on arrival at the destined17 port our hero would expose all he knew about him. This made him uneasy, for it would injure, if not destroy, his prospect18 of remaining in command of the Argonaut. He resented also the dislike which Robert had cautiously expressed, and the similar feeling cherished by the cabin-boy. He had half a mind to break in upon their conversation on the spot; but, after a moment's thought, walked away, his neighborhood unsuspected by the two boys.
"They shall both rue16 their impudence19," he muttered. "They shall find out that they cannot insult me with impunity20."
The next day, when both boys were on deck, Captain Haley harshly ordered Frank to attend to a certain duty which he had already performed.
"I have done so, sir," said Frank, in a respectful tone.
Frank looked up into his face in astonishment23, unable to account for so violent an outbreak.
"What do you mean by looking me in the face in that impudent24 manner?" demanded Captain Haley, furiously.
"I didn't mean to be impudent, Captain Haley," said Frank. "What have I done?"
"What have you done? You, a cabin-boy, have dared to insult your captain, and, by heavens, you shall rue it! Strip off your jacket."
Frank turned pale. He knew what this order meant. Public floggings were sometimes administered on shipboard, but, under the command of Captain Evans, nothing of the kind had taken place.
Robert, who had heard the whole, listened, with unmeasured indignation, to this wanton abuse on the part of Captain Haley. His eyes flashed, and his youthful form dilated25 with righteous indignation.
Robert was not the only one who witnessed with indignation the captain's brutality26. Such of the sailors as happened to be on deck shared his feelings. Haley, looking about him, caught the look with which Robert regarded him, and triumphed inwardly that he had found a way to chafe27 him.
"Since you have asked my opinion," said Robert, boldly, "I will express it. Frank Price has not been guilty of any impudence, and deserves no punishment."
This was a bold speech to be made by a boy to a captain on his own deck, and the sailors who heard it inwardly applauded the pluck of the boy who uttered it.
"What do you mean by that, sir?" exclaimed Haley, his eyes lighting29 up fiercely, as he strode to the spot where Robert stood, and frowned upon him, menacingly.
"I have a great mind to have you flogged, too!" said Haley.
"I am not one of your crew, Captain Haley," said Robert, coolly; "and you have no right to lay a hand on me."
"What is to prevent me, I should like to know?"
"I am here as a passenger, and a friend of the owner of this vessel. If I receive any ill-treatment, it shall be reported to him."
If the sailors had dared, they would have applauded the stripling who, undaunted by the menacing attitude of the captain, faced him boldly and fearlessly. Haley would gladly have knocked him down, but there was something in the resolute31 mien32 of his young passenger that made him pause. He knew that he would keep his word, and that, with such representations as he might make, he would stand no further chance of being employed by Mr. Morgan.
"I have an account to settle with you, boy," he said; "and the settlement will not long be delayed. When a passenger tries to incite33 mutiny, he forfeits34 his privileges as a passenger."
"Who has done this, Captain Haley?"
"You have done it."
"I deny it," said Robert.
"Your denial is worth nothing. I have a right to throw you into irons, and may yet do it. At present I have other business in hand."
He left Robert, and walked back to Frank Price, who, not having Robert's courage, had been a terrified listener to the colloquy35 between him and the captain.
"Now, boy," he said, harshly, "I will give you a lesson that you shall remember to the latest day of your life. Bring me the cat."
The barbarous cat, as it was called, once in use on our ships, was brought, and Captain Haley signaled to one of the sailors to approach.
Bates was a stout37 sailor, rough in appearance, but with a warm and kindly38 heart. He had a boy of his own at home, about the age of Frank Price, and his heart had warmed to the boy whose position he felt to be far from an enviable one.
The task now imposed upon him was a most distasteful and unwelcome one. He was a good sailor, and aimed on all occasions to show proper obedience39 to the commands of his officers, but now he could not.
"Captain Haley," he said, not stirring from his position, "I hope you will excuse me."
"Is this mutiny?" roared the captain.
"No, Captain Haley. I always mean to do my duty on board ship."
"I have told you to flog this boy!"
"I can't do it, Captain Haley. I have a boy of my own about the size of that lad there, and, if I struck him, I'd think it was my own boy that stood in his place."
This unexpected opposition40 excited the fierce resentment41 of the captain. He felt that a crisis had come, and he was determined to be obeyed.
"Unless you do as I bid you, I will keep you in irons for the rest of the voyage!"
"You are the captain of this ship, and can throw me in irons, if you like," said Bates, with an air of dignity despite his tarred hands and sailor jacket. "I have refused to do no duty that belongs to me. When I signed my name to the ship's papers, I did not agree to flog boys."
The captain himself seized the cat, and was about to apply it to the luckless cabin-boy, when a terrible blast, springing up in an instant, as it were, struck the ship, almost throwing it upon its side. There was no time for punishment now. The safety of the ship required instant action, and Frank Price was permitted to replace his jacket without having received a blow.
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1
malady
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| n.病，疾病(通常做比喻) | |
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lament
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| n.悲叹，悔恨，恸哭；v.哀悼，悔恨，悲叹 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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7
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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8
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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altercation
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| n.争吵，争论 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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tyrant
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| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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impunity
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| n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
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rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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lashing
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| n.鞭打；痛斥；大量；许多v.鞭打( lash的现在分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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dilated
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| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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brutality
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| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
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chafe
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| v.擦伤；冲洗；惹怒 | |
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28
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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flinching
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| v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的现在分词 ) | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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mien
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| n.风采；态度 | |
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incite
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| v.引起，激动，煽动 | |
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forfeits
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| 罚物游戏 | |
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colloquy
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| n.谈话，自由讨论 | |
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lashes
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| n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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38
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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42
incensed
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| 盛怒的 | |
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43
mandate
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| n.托管地；命令，指示 | |
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44
lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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