The dark group of men swung across the light. ‘What for?’‘Told you so....’ ‘Bloomin' shame.... ’-- ‘We've got to say something habout that,’ screeched Donkin from the rear. -- ‘Never mind, Jim -- ’ -- ‘We'll see you righted,’ called several together. An elderly seaman stepped to the front. ‘D'ye mean to say, sir,’ he asked ominously, ‘that a sick chap ain't allowed to get well in this 'ere hooker?’ Behind him Donkin whispered excitedly amongst a staring crowd where no one spared him a glance, but Captain Allistoun shook a forefinger at the angry bronzed face of the speaker. -- ‘You -- you hold your tongue,’ he said warningly. -- ‘This isn't the way,’ clamoured two or three younger men. ‘Hare we bloomin' masheens?’ inquired Donkin in a piercing tone, and dived under the elbows of the front rank. -- ‘Soon show'im we ain't boys....’ -- ‘The man's a man if he is black.’-- ‘We ain't goin' to work this bloomin' ship shorthanded if Snowball's all right....’ -- ‘He says he is.’-- ‘Well then, strike, boys, strike!’ -- ‘That's the bloomin' ticket.’ Captain Allistoun said sharply to the second mate:‘Keep quiet, Mr. Creighton,’ and stood composed in the tumult, listening with profound attention to mixed growls and screeches, to every exclamation and every curse of the sudden outbreak. Somebody slammed the cabin door to with a kick; the darkness full of menacing mutters leaped with a short clatter over the streak of light, and the men became gesticulating shadows that growled, hissed, laughed excitedly. Mr. Baker whispered: --‘Get away from them, sir.’ The big shape of Mr. Creighton hovered silently about the slight figure of the master. -- ‘We have been hymposed upon all this voyage,’ said a gruff voice, ‘but this 'ere fancy takes the cake.’ -- ‘That man is a shipmate.’ -- ‘Are we bloomin' kids?’-- ‘The port watch will refuse duty.’ Charley carried away by his feelings whistled shrilly, then yelped: -- ‘Giv'
us our Jimmy!’ This seemed to cause a variation in the disturbance.
There was a fresh burst of squabbling uproar. A lot of quarrels were going on at once. -- ‘Yes’ -- ‘No.’ --‘N ever been sick.’ -- ‘Go for them to once.’-- ‘Shut yer mouth, youngster -- this is men's work.’-- ‘Is it?’ muttered Captain Allistoun bitterly. Mr.
Baker grunted:‘Ough! They're gone silly. They've been simmering for the last month.’ -- ‘I did notice,’ said the master. -- ‘They have started a row amongst themselves now,’said Mr. Creighton with disdain, ‘better get aft, sir. We will soothe them.’ -- ‘Keep your temper, Creighton,’said the master. And the three men began to move slowly towards the cabin door.
In the shadows of the fore rigging a dark mass stamped eddied, advanced, retreated. There were words of reproach, encouragement, unbelief, execration. The elder seamen, bewildered and Page 90angry, growled their determination to go through with something or othere;but the younger school of advanced thought exposed their and Jimmy's wrongs with confused shouts, arguing amongst themselves. They clustered round that moribund carcass, the fit emblem of their aspirations. and encouraging one another they swayed, they tramped on one spot, shouting that they would not be ‘put upon’ Inside the cabin, Belfast, helping Jimmy into his bunk, twitched all over in his desire not to miss all the row, and with difficulty restrained the tears of his facile emotion. James Wait flat on his back under the blanket, gasped complaints. -- ‘We will back you up, never fear,’ assured Belfast, busy about his feet. -- ‘I'll come out tomorrow -- skipper or no skipper.’He lifted one arm with great difficulty, passed the hand over his face;‘Don't you let that cook....’ he breathed out. -- ‘No, no,’ said Belfast, turning his back on the bunk, ‘Iwill put a head on him if he comes near you.’ -- ‘Iwill smash his mug!’ exclaimed faintly Wait, enraged and weak;‘I don't want to kill a man, but....’ He panted fast like a dog after a run in sunshine. Some one just outside the door shouted, ‘He's as fit as any ov us!’ Belfast put his hand on the door-handle. -- ‘Here!’ called James Wait hurriedly and in such a clear voice that the other spun round with a start. James Wait, stretched out black and deathlike in the dazzling light, turned his head on the pillow. His eyes stared at Belfast, appealing and impudent.
‘I am rather weak from lying-up so long,’ he said distinctly.
Belfast nodded. ‘Getting quite well now,’ insisted Wait. -- ‘Yes, I noticed you getting better this....last month,’said Belfast looking down. ‘Hallo! What's this?’ he shouted and ran out.