Then the captain walked aft again, and the castaways began whispering among themselves as if trying to decide whether it would be safe to defy him.
Gil and Nelse stood near the wheel, where they could hear and see everything. Both wanted to go forward, but the former’s father checked them by saying, in a low tone:
“Remain where you are, unless Mr. Jenkins should call; in which case, you are to obey his orders implicitly.”
The mate was evidently making ready to carry out his instructions. All the men, save the man who had thrown the food, were sent back to the main hatch, and the young sailor was looking at his watch in an ominous manner.
The castaway muttered something which the boys could not understand; made a series of gestures to his companions, but, without receiving any reply, and then in a sulky manner began throwing the food overboard.
“Bring a swab here,” Mr. Jenkins called to one of the crew, and the shipwrecked man used it vigorously until the stains had been removed from the white planks.
“Now, where am I to get my supper?” the fellow asked, sullenly.
“We don’t serve two meals at the same time on board this craft, and, in case you want to be carried to Nassau, I advise that you keep a civil tongue in your head, for the captain is no fresh-water sailor, to allow an old barnacle like you to back him down.”
Then the mate walked aft, and the rescued party began to discuss the situation in whispers.
“That’s a fine crowd to ask honest sailors for assistance,” Mr. Jenkins said, in a low tone, when he stood by Captain Mansfield’s side. “If this calm lasts very long, we are bound to have trouble with them.”
“Keep your weather eye lifting, and they can’t do much mischief. They are all a little the worse for liquor now, but when that wears off things will straighten out.”
“It would be serving the whole boiling lot right to set ’em ashore.”
“That would be inhuman, and, besides, neither you nor I care to say that we’re afraid of a lot of sailors.”
“You would be warranted in trying to avoid trouble, more especially when there are so many aboard.”
“We won’t discuss the matter any further, Mr. Jenkins. Keep them well under your eye, and we’ll soon run down this bank.”
Both Gil and Nelse understood that the captain, as well as his mate, felt a trifle uneasy because of the strangers, who outnumbered the available force of the yacht more than two to one; but forcing them to return to the key was not to be thought of for a single moment, and it only remained for the officers to be on the alert.