Powder and Arms

           TheHispaniolalaysomewayout,andwewentunderthefigureheadsandroundthesternsofmanyotherships,andtheircablessometimesgratedunderneathourkeel,andsometimesswungaboveus.Atlast,however,wegotalongside,andweremetandsalutedaswesteppedaboardbythemate,Mr.Arrow,abrownoldsailorwithearringsinhisearsandasquint.Heandthesquirewereverythickandfriendly,butIsoonobservedthatthingswerenotthesamebetweenMr.Trelawneyandthecaptain.

           Thislastwasasharp-lookingmanwhoseemedangrywitheverythingonboardandwassoontotelluswhy,forwehadhardlygotdownintothecabinwhenasailorfollowedus.

           "CaptainSmollett,sir,axingtospeakwithyou,"saidhe.

           "Iamalwaysatthecaptain’sorders.Showhimin,"saidthesquire.

           Thecaptain,whowasclosebehindhismessenger,enteredatonceandshutthedoorbehindhim.

           "Well,CaptainSmollett,whathaveyoutosay?Allwell,Ihope;allshipshapeandseaworthy?"

           "Well,sir,"saidthecaptain,"betterspeakplain,Ibelieve,evenattheriskofoffence.Idon’tlikethiscruise;Idon’tlikethemen;andIdon’tlikemyofficer.That’sshortandsweet."

           "Perhaps,sir,youdon’tliketheship?"inquiredthesquire,veryangry,asIcouldsee.

           "Ican’tspeakastothat,sir,nothavingseenhertried,"saidthecaptain."Sheseemsaclevercraft;moreIcan’tsay."