By the time afternoon came he was faint with hunger, and, having
determined upon his course of action, he sent a fairly polite message to
Captain Hardy and asked for an interview.
The captain, who was resting from his labours in the chart-room, received
him with the same air of cold severity which had so endeared Captain
Nugent himself to his subordinates.
"You have come to explain your extraordinary behaviour of this morning, I
suppose?" he said, curtly.
"I have come to secure a berth aft," said Captain Nugent. "I will pay a
small deposit now, and you will, of course, have the balance as soon as
we get back. This is without prejudice to any action I may bring against
you later on."
"Oh, indeed," said the other, raising his eyebrows. "We don't take
passengers."
"I am here against my will," said Captain Nu-gent, "and I demand the
treatment due to my position."
"If I had treated you properly," said Captain Hardy, "I should have put
you in irons for knocking down my second officer. I know nothing about
you or your position. You're a stowaway, and you must do the best you
can in the circumstances."
"Are you going to give me a cabin?" demanded the other, menacingly.
"Certainly not," said Captain Hardy. "I have been making inquiries, and
I find that you have only yourself to thank for the position in which you
find yourself.
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