Griffin Harris, a short, thick-set seaman, hanging his head but showing no trace of emotion, pulled his forelock and stepped up to Mr. Ramage. “Beg pardon, Mr. Ramage,” he said, “might I have the call, sir.” Mr. Ramage slipped the chain from his neck and handed it to him. “Pipe down, bosun.” Harris took the pipe and blew the tremolo of the belay. The men turned to walk forward, just as Iles and Wise reappeared with the chest and bag. Captain Cammock’s sternness vanished the moment the pipe down had sounded. “You’ll have to pipe better than that, bosun,” he said. “You pipe like Wally with the stiff neck.” The new bosun laughed. “I’ll pipe fine against we get there, sir.” Stukeley walked up to Captain Cammock. “What the hell d’you mean by insulting my friend?” he said. Cammock paid no attention to him, but walked up to Margaret to ask if he would stand the first watch with the new second mate. “Certainly,” said Margaret. “I asked you a question,” said Stukeley bitterly, in a loud voice, so that the men loitering in the waist could hear. “D’ye hear me, Captain Cammock? What the hell d’you mean by insulting my friend?” “Stukeley,” said Margaret, “go below.” “I’m not talking to you,” said Stukeley. “No,” said Margaret; “but I’m giving you some sound advice. Go below.” “You’re a funny devil, aren’t you? Now then, Brandyface, you’ll give me an answer.” At this moment Iles came up, from his old haunts, in the ’tween-decks, carrying his demijohn of carefully saved spirits. “What have you got there, Iles?” said the captain quickly. “My whack of rum.” “Take your cap off, or I’ll knock it off. What did you say?” “My whack of rum, Captain Cammock, sir.” “Yes. You’d better remember that. Put down that demijohn.” “Please, sir. It’s mine, sir.” He laid down the demijohn, fingering his cap. “Steward, whack that rum out to all hands at eight bells. Allow it to the man Iles in the savings book.” “I will, seh.” “There,” said Cammock, turning to Margaret. “He’s not going to curry favour forward with a couple of gallons of rum. He’d have had half the watch blind if I’d not seen him that time.” Stukeley put his hand on Cammock’s shoulder. “You damned old pirate,” he said. “Now you’ll settle with me. Your little go’s over. Now it’s mine.” Cammock turned to Margaret. “Take his other arm, sir,” he said. He caught Stukeley by the wrist with his left hand. Margaret tackled him swiftly on the other side. Together they marched him below to Cammock’s cabin, which they entered locking the door behind them. “Now, Mr. Stukeley,” said Cammock, placing his prisoner on the settee. “I command this ship. Be quiet now. Not a word, sir, till I’m done. You give me any more trouble. You so much as try to come between me and my hands, and you’ll go in irons till I can put you ashore.” “That’s entirely right, Captain Cammock,” said Margaret. “You’d do well to remember it, Stukeley.” “I’ll remember it,” said Stukeley. “And I’ll make you two remember it.”