"
Two nights after this talk Jack Lesher was again in command of the
ship, Captain Blossom having retired after an unusually hard day.
It was hot and dark, and the air betokened a storm. The man at the
wheel was following a course set by the captain, and the sailors
whose watch was on deck lay around taking it as easy as they could.
The mate had been drinking but little in the afternoon, but before
coming on deck he took several draughts of rum. He was in a partiallarly
bad humor and ready to find fault with anybody or anything.
Some of the sails had been reefed, and these he ordered shaken out,
although there was a stiff breeze blowing. Then he approached the
man at the wheel and asked for the course.
"Southwest by south," was the answer.
"That aint right," growled the mate. "It should be south by west."
"The captain gave it to me southwest by south," answered the man.
"Don't talk back to me!" roared Jack Lesher. "I know the course as
well as the captain. Make it south by west, or I'll flog you for
disobeying orders."
"Aye, aye, sir," answered the man at the wheel, and the course was
changed, for the sailor stood greatly in fear of the mate. Then the
mate sent below for another drink of rum.
CHAPTER XII
ANOTHER ACCIDENT AT SEA
It was four hours later, and Captain Blossom was just preparing to
come on deck, when there, came a fearful shock which threw the Golden
Wave back and over on her side.
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