He pushed the big, canvas-covered book over to me and placed his finger on a vacant line. All that preceded it was covered with paper. "Of course," said Roger, coldly, "Lathrop will read the statement before signing it." He was looking the captain squarely in the eye. Falk scowled as he replied, "I consider that quite unnecessary." "A great many of the ordinary decencies of life seem to be considered unnecessary aboard this ship." "If you are making any insinuations at me, Mr. Hamlin, I'll show you who's captain here." "You needn't. You've done it sufficiently already. Anyhow, if Lathrop were foolish enough to sign the statement without reading it, I should know that he hadn't read it and I assure you that it wouldn't pass muster in any court of law." As Captain Falk was about to retort even more angrily, Kipping touched his arm and whispered to him. "Oh, well," he said with ill grace, "as you wish, Mr. Kipping. There's nothing underhanded about this. Of course the account is absolutely true and the whole world could read it; only I don't intend a silly young fop shall think he can bully me on my own ship. Show Lathrop the statement." Kipping withdrew the paper and I began to read what was written in the log, but Roger now interrupted again. "Read it aloud," he said. "What in heaven's name do you think you are, you young fool? If you think you can bully Nathan Falk like that, I'll lash you to skin and pulp." "Oh, well," said Roger comically, in imitation of the captain's own air of concession, "since you feel so warmly on the subject, I'm quite willing to yield the point. It's enough that Lathrop should read it before he signs." Then, turning to me suddenly, he cried, "Ben, what's the course according to the log?" The angry red of Captain Talk's face deepened, but before he could speak, I had seen and repeated it:-- "Northeast by north." Roger smiled. "Go on," he said. "Read the statement." The statement was straightforward enough for the most part--more straightforward, it seemed to me, than either of the two men who probably had collaborated in writing it; but one sentence caught my attention and I hesitated. "Well," said Roger who was watching me closely, "is anything wrong?" "Why, perhaps not exactly wrong," I replied, "though I do think most of the men forward would deny it." "See here," cried Captain Falk, cutting off Kipping, who tried to speak at the same moment, "I tell you, Mr. Hamlin, if you thrust your oar in here again I'll thrash you within an inch of your life! I'll keelhaul you, so help me! I'll--" He wrinkled up his nose and twisted his lips into a sneer before he added, almost in a whisper, "I'll do worse than that." "No," said Roger calmly, "I don't think you will. What's the sentence, Benny?" Without waiting for another word from anyone I read aloud as follows:-- "'And the captain and the chief mate tended Hayden carefully and did what they might to make his last hours comfortable.'"