I was worried about him.
I did not understand him. I was sorry for him.
"Look here, Franz ... don't you know you might get put clean out of
business if you keep this mutiny of one up much longer? You can't whip a
whole ship's crew."
"I don't want to whip a whole ship's crew."
"The captain had to have another man in a hurry, you know ... but he's
really willing to give you decent treatment."
"Did the captain send you to tell me this?"
"Of course not ... only I'm sorry for you."
Franz gave me a broad, inexplicable wink. He smiled grotesquely--from
swollen lips made more grotesque because of a recent punch in the mouth
"Sailmaker" had fetched him....
"Don't trouble yourself about me. I know what I'm doing, my boy."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that, as soon as I came out of my drunk, and found myself
shanghaied, I _wanted_ them to ill-treat me ... there's a Sailors' Aid
Society at Sydney, you know!"
"What good will the Sailors' Aid Society do you?"
"You just wait and see what good it will do me!"
"Nonsense, Franz! The captain's willing to pay you off at Sydney."
"Pay me off, eh? Yes, and the old boy will pay me handsome damages,
too!... the sentimental old ladies that have nothing else to do but
befriend the poor abused sailor, will see to it that I find justice in
the courts there."
"You have a good case against the captain as it is, then.
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