I at once answered, “Nothing of the kind!  There is a man miserably perishing on board that sinking wreck, Mr. Duckling, and he ought to be saved.  My lads!” I cried, addressing the men on the main-deck, “is there a sailor among you all who would have the heart to leave that man yonder without an effort to rescue him?”

“No, sir!” shouted one of them.  “We’ll save the man; and if the skipper refuses, we’ll make him!”

“Luff!” I called to the man at the wheel.

“Luff at your peril!” screamed the skipper.

“Aft here, some hands,” I cried, “and lay the mainyard aback.  Let go the port main-braces!”

The captain came running toward me.

“By the living God!” I cried in a fury, grasping the heavy brass belaying-pin, “if you come within a foot of me, Captain Coxon, I’ll dash your brains out!”

My attitude, my enraged face and menacing gesture, produced the desired effect.  He stopped dead, turned a ghastly white, and looked round at Duckling.

“What do you mean by this (etc.) conduct, you (etc.) mutinous scoundrels?” roared Duckling, with a volley of foul language.

“Give him one for himself if he says too much, Mr. Royle!” sung out some hoarse voice on the main-deck; “we’ll back yer!” And then came cries of “They’re a cursed pair o’ murderers!” “Who run the smack down?” “Who lets men drown?” “Who starves honest men?” This last exclamation was followed by a roar.

The whole of the crew were now on deck, having been aroused by our voices.  Some of them were looking on with a grin, others with an expression of fierce curiosity.  It was at once understood that I was making a stand against the captain and chief mate; and a single glance at them assured me that by one word I could set the whole of them on fire to do my bidding, even to shedding blood.

In the meantime, the man at the wheel had luffed until the weather leeches were flat and the ship scarcely moving.  And at this moment, that the skipper might know their meaning, a couple of hands jumped aft and let go the weather main-braces.  I took care to keep my eyes on Coxon and the mate, fully prepared for any attack that one or both might make on me.  Duckling eyed me furiously but in silence, evidently baffled by my resolute air and the position of the men.  Then he said something to the captain, who looked exhausted and white and haggard with his useless passion.  They walked over to the lee side of the poop; and after a short conference, the captain to my surprise went below, and Duckling came forward.

“There’s no objection,” he said, “to your saving the man’s life, if you want.  Lower away the starboard quarter-boat,—­and you go along in her,” he added to me, uttering the last words in such a thick voice that I thought he was choking.

“Come along, some of you!” I cried out, hastily putting on my coat; and in less than a minute I was in the boat with the rudder and thole-pins shipped, and four hands ready to out oars as soon as we touched the water.