Everyone now turned
spokesman; and he was assailed by a perfect hurricane of yells, in
which the oaths fell like hailstones.
"How's this! what d'ye mean?" he cried, upon the first lull; "who told
you all to speak at once? Here, you man with the knife, you'll be
putting someone's eyes out yet; d'ye hear, you sir? You seem to have
a good deal to say, who are you, pray; where did you ship?"
"I'm nothing more nor a bloody beach-comber," retorted Salem, stepping
forward piratically and eyeing him; "and if you want to know, I
shipped at the Islands about four months ago."
"Only four months ago? And here you have more to say than men who have
been aboard the whole voyage;" and the consul made a dash at looking
furious, but failed. "Let me hear no more from you, sir. Where's
that respectable, gray-headed man, the cooper? he's the one to answer
my questions."
"There's no 'spectable, gray-headed men aboard," returned Salem;
"we're all a parcel of mutineers and pirates!"
All this time, the mate was holding his peace; and Wilson, now
completely abashed, and at a loss what to do, took him by the arm,
and walked across the deck.
