At last, he pitched upon the one
which refers to combination and conspiracy, and creating discontent. We
all took off our hats as he read it, and he then called Mr Paul, the
boatswain, and ordered him to give the man a dozen. "Please, sir," said
the boatswain, pointing to his arm in a sling, "I can't flog--I can't
lift up my arm."--"Your arm was well enough when I came on board, sir,"
cried the captain.
"Yes, sir; but in hurrying the men up, I slipped down the ladder, and
I'm afraid I've put my shoulder out."
The captain bit his lips; he fully believed it was a sham on the part of
the boatswain (which indeed it was) to get off flogging the men. "Well,
then, where is the chief boatswain's mate, Miller?"
"Here, sir," said Miller, coming forward: a stout, muscular man, nearly
six feet high, with a pig-tail nearly four feet long, and his open
breast covered with black, shaggy hair.
"Give that man a dozen, sir," said the captain.
The man looked at the captain, then at the ship's company, and then at
the man seized up, but did not commence the punishment.
"Do you hear me, sir?" roared the captain.
"If you please, your honour, I'd rather take my disrating--I--don't wish
to be chief boatswain's mate in this here business."
"Obey your orders, immediately, sir," cried the captain; "or, by God,
I'll try you for mutiny."
"Well, sir, I beg your pardon; but what must be, must be. I mean no
disrespect, Captain Hawkins, but I cannot flog that man--my conscience
won't let me.
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