Captain Van Horn debated the while he fondled the puppy in his arms.
After all, it was a return boy. In a day, in two days at most, he would
have him landed and be quit of him.

"My word," he harangued, "me angry along you. Me angry big fella too
much along you. Me angry along you any amount. What name you fella boy
make 'm pickaninny dog belong along me walk about along water?"

Lerumie was unable to answer. He rolled his eyes helplessly, resigned to
receive a whipping such as he had long since bitterly learned white
masters were wont to administer.

Captain Van Horn repeated the question, and the black repeated the
helpless rolling of his eyes.

"For two sticks tobacco I knock 'm seven bells outa you," the skipper
bullied. "Now me give you strong fella talk too much. You look 'm eye
belong you one time along this fella dog belong me, I knock 'm seven
bells and whole starboard watch outa you. Savve?"

"Me savve," Lerumie, plaintively replied; and the episode was closed.

The return boys went below to sleep in the cabin. Borckman and the
boat's crew hoisted the mainsail and put the _Arangi_ on her course. And
Skipper, under a dry blanket from below, lay down to sleep with Jerry,
head on his shoulder, in the hollow of his arm.