A number of people got on the line of bulwark-rail and watched the boat as she drew away. I had thought to hear a hundred vile, blasphemous insults flung after her, but nothing was said in that way. The fellows laughed and talked and pointed, but no man called out. Barney Abram came on the poop, followed by Mr. Bates, as though the mate had been ordered to attend. The sweat was running from the prize-fighter’s face, and the scars about his brow and forehead were knitted into a scowl. My heart beat fast. I dreaded a quarrel between him and Tom, for Abram swung the deadliest fist of any man in England. Greatly to my relief, however, spite of his dark and sweating face, which seemed to give the lie to his behaviour, his manner was conciliatory. ‘You shouldn’t lose your tepper so easily, Butler,’ said he. ‘What’s the good of exciti’g yourself? You start this gentlebud off’--here he motioned to Mr. Bates--‘who talks a lot of rot to the people about yardarbs. I walked hib rou’d the deck to oblige you, that the people bight see he’s by fr’e’d; and thed, excited by you, he jaws theb about yardarbs. If they had taken hib at his word!’ He looked up, and pointing, exclaimed with his extraordinary smirking grin: ‘That’s what I thi’k you gentlebud of the sea call a yardarb. Gallus high, ain’t it, by rosebud?’ And he turned his fiery black eyes upon me. ‘The women are safe, and I’m satisfied,’ answered Tom. ‘Abram, I had looked for more humanity at your hands. You--a man of your reputation,’ he added, with an angry, sarcastic smile that instantly faded, ‘to truckle to such beasts as we’ve had to live amongst ever since we’ve found ourselves together in irons; but the matter’s ended,’ he exclaimed, with a sort of sudden bustle and hurry in his manner. ‘Let’s get the other boats away. There’s a destination to be settled and arrangements for working the ship to be made. This weather is good for talk, but it may change in an hour.’ ‘Right,’ exclaimed Abram. ‘Bates, call up your bed and give your orders.’ ‘Captain Butler,’ exclaimed the poor mate, ‘let me leave this ship with the crew.’ Abram fiercely rounded upon him. ‘Is this your gratitude?’ he exclaimed in his thick stunted accents. ‘Didn’t I tell you, Butler, he wasn’t to be trusted? Wolves tear hib! Why don’t the flat-catcher dow whed he’s well off?’ ‘You’re here and you’ll remain here, Bates,’ said Tom, giving the unfortunate man an expressive look. ‘Get those two quarter-boats alongside and have them provisioned, and let me advise you to take a sheepshank in your tongue.’ Mr. Bates went to the rail and called to the men. Some seamen and convicts came tumbling on to the poop.