He could scarcely
talk straight.
"We want to come on board."
"Sorry, cap'n, but I can't let you come aboard," answered the sailor,
with something of a hiccough.
"Can't let me come aboard?" repeated the captain. "Why not?"
"Cause it's ag'in orders."
"Whose orders?"
"Captain Lesher's."
"Captain Lesher!" ejaculated Captain Blossom indignantly. "How long
has he been a captain?"
"We made him cap'n yesterday."
"That's right," put in another sailor. "We 'lected him unan--nan--
nan'mously; yes, sir, unan--nan--nan'mously."
"You are drunk, Bostwick."
"No, sir, aint drunk at all.--Lesher, he's drunk--but he's cap'n
all the same."
"That's right," put in a third sailor. "Hurrah for Captain Lesher
and the rum he let us have!"
"Got to keep off, I tell you," went on Bostwick. "If you don't, we
have--er--we have strict orders to fire on you, yes, sir."
"To fire on us!" cried Dick.--"Do you mean to say you would fire on us?"
"Now, see here, don't you put in your oar," said a fourth sailor.
"You don't count with us. It's the cap'n that was we're talkin' to."
"I am captain still," said Captain Blossom firmly. "If you don't want
to obey me, you must leave the ship."
"Aint going to leave no ship!" was the cry. "She belongs to us. You
keep off!"
"Yes, yes, keep off!" added the others on the deck.
"The ship is mine," said the captain. "If you refuse to let me come
on board--"
At that moment two other figures appeared on deck.
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