At present, you will continue lying off and on the harbour. I will
send you fresh provisions as soon as I can get them. There: I've
nothing more to say; go forward to your stations."

And, without another word, he wheeled round to descend into the cabin.
But hardly had he concluded before the incensed men were dancing
about him on every side, and calling upon him to lend an ear. Each
one for himself denied the legality of what he proposed to do;
insisted upon the necessity for taking the ship in; and finally gave
him to understand, roughly and roundly, that go to sea in her they
would not.

In the midst of this mutinous uproar, the alarmed consul stood fast by
the scuttle. His tactics had been decided upon beforehand; indeed,
they must have been concerted ashore, between him and the captain;
for all he said, as he now hurried below, was, "Go forward, men; I'm
through with you: you should have mentioned these matters before: my
arrangements are concluded: go forward, I say; I've nothing more to
say to you." And, drawing over the slide of the scuttle, he
disappeared. Upon the very point of following him down, the attention
of the exasperated seamen was called off to a party who had just then
taken the recreant Bungs in hand. Amid a shower of kicks and cuffs,
the traitor was borne along to the forecastle, where--I forbear to
relate what followed.



CHAPTER XXII.

THE CONSUL'S DEPARTURE