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- 2779
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T07:57:55.409Z
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- 2712
- text
- small embarrassment to himself, yet he would spare three of his best
seamen for temporary deck officers; so that without delay the ship
might proceed to Conception, there fully to refit for Lima, her
destined port.
Such generosity was not without its effect, even upon the invalid. His
face lighted up; eager and hectic, he met the honest glance of his
visitor. With gratitude he seemed overcome.
“This excitement is bad for master,” whispered the servant, taking his
arm, and with soothing words gently drawing him aside.
When Don Benito returned, the American was pained to observe that his
hopefulness, like the sudden kindling in his cheek, was but febrile and
transient.
Ere long, with a joyless mien, looking up towards the poop, the host
invited his guest to accompany him there, for the benefit of what
little breath of wind might be stirring.
As, during the telling of the story, Captain Delano had once or twice
started at the occasional cymballing of the hatchet-polishers,
wondering why such an interruption should be allowed, especially in
that part of the ship, and in the ears of an invalid; and moreover, as
the hatchets had anything but an attractive look, and the handlers of
them still less so, it was, therefore, to tell the truth, not without
some lurking reluctance, or even shrinking, it may be, that Captain
Delano, with apparent complaisance, acquiesced in his host’s
invitation. The more so, since, with an untimely caprice of punctilio,
rendered distressing by his cadaverous aspect, Don Benito, with
Castilian bows, solemnly insisted upon his guest’s preceding him up the
ladder leading to the elevation; where, one on each side of the last
step, sat for armorial supporters and sentries two of the ominous file.
Gingerly enough stepped good Captain Delano between them, and in the
instant of leaving them behind, like one running the gauntlet, he felt
an apprehensive twitch in the calves of his legs.
But when, facing about, he saw the whole file, like so many
organ-grinders, still stupidly intent on their work, unmindful of
everything beside, he could not but smile at his late fidgety panic.
Presently, while standing with his host, looking forward upon the decks
below, he was struck by one of those instances of insubordination
previously alluded to. Three black boys, with two Spanish boys, were
sitting together on the hatches, scraping a rude wooden platter, in
which some scanty mess had recently been cooked. Suddenly, one of the
black boys, enraged at a word dropped by one of his white companions,
seized a knife, and, though called to forbear by one of the
oakum-pickers, struck the lad over the head, inflicting a gash from
which blood flowed.
In amazement, Captain Delano inquired what this meant. To which the
pale Don Benito dully muttered, that it was merely the sport of the
lad.
“Pretty serious sport, truly,” rejoined Captain Delano. “Had such a
thing happened on board the Bachelor’s Delight, instant punishment
would have followed.”
At these words the Spaniard turned upon the American one of his sudden,
staring, half-lunatic looks; then, relapsing into his torpor, answered,
“Doubtless, doubtless, Señor.”
Is it, thought Captain Delano, that this hapless man is one of those
paper captains I’ve known, who by policy wink at what by power they
cannot put down? I know no sadder sight than a commander who has little
of command but the name.
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