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           Heasyoasy(forsohestillnamedtheskipper)wasaman,byhisaccount,thatmindedfornothingeitherinheavenorearth;onethat,aspeoplesaid,would“crackonallsailintothedayofjudgment;”rough,fierce,unscrupulous,andbrutal;andallthismypoorcabin-boyhadtaughthimselftoadmireassomethingseamanlikeandmanly.Hewouldonlyadmitoneflawinhisidol.“Heain’tnoseaman,”headmitted.“That’sMr.Shuanthatnavigatesthebrig;he’sthefinestseamaninthetrade,onlyfordrink;andItellyouIbelieveit!Why,look’ere;”andturningdownhisstockingheshowedmeagreat,raw,redwoundthatmademybloodruncold.“Hedonethat—Mr.Shuandoneit,”hesaid,withanairofpride.

           “What!”Icried,“doyoutakesuchsavageusageathishands?Why,youarenoslave,tobesohandled!”

           “No,”saidthepoormoon-calf,changinghistuneatonce,“andsohe’llfind.See’ere;”andheshowedmeagreatcase-knife,whichhetoldmewasstolen.“O,”sayshe,“letmeseehimtry;Idarehimto;I’lldoforhim!O,heain’tthefirst!”Andheconfirmeditwithapoor,silly,uglyoath.

           IhaveneverfeltsuchpityforanyoneinthiswideworldasIfeltforthathalf-wittedcreature,anditbegantocomeovermethatthebrigCovenant(forallherpiousname)waslittlebetterthanahellupontheseas.

           “Haveyounofriends?”saidI.

           HesaidhehadafatherinsomeEnglishseaport,Iforgetwhich.

           “Hewasafineman,too,”hesaid,“buthe’sdead.