As if they had never been, the two men were
blotted out--gone before God in full-blown heat of murder and
revengeful fury.
On the same evening Mr. Count mustered all hands on the quarter-
deck, and addressed us thus: "Men, Captain Slocum is dead, and,
as a consequence, I command the ship. Behave yourself like men,
not presuming upon kindness or imagining that I am a weak,
vacillating old man with whom you can do as you like, and you
will find in me a skipper who will do his duty by you as far as
lies in his power, nor expect more from you than you ought to
render. If, however, you DO try any tricks, remember that I am
an old hand, equal to most of the games that men get up to. I do
want--if you will help me--to make this a comfortable as well as
a successful ship. I hope with all my heart we shall succeed."
In answer to this manly and affecting little speech, which
confirmed my previous estimate of Captain Count's character, were
he but free to follow the bent of his natural, kindly
inclinations, and which I have endeavoured to translate out of
his usual dialect, a hearty cheer was raised by all hands, the
first ebullition of general good feeling manifested throughout
the voyage.
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