I am sorry to be harsh with you."
"Harsh?" repeated the other, hardly able to believe his ears. "You--
harsh to me?"
"But it is for your own good," pursued Captain Hardy; "it is no pleasure
to me to punish you. I shall keep an eye on you while you're aboard, and
if I see that your conduct is improving you will find that I am not a
hard man to get on with."
Captain Nugent stared at him with his lips parted. Three times he
essayed to speak and failed; then he turned sharply and, gaining the open
air, stood for some time trying to regain his composure before going
forward again. The first mate, who was on the bridge, regarded him
curiously, and then, with an insufferable air of authority, ordered him
away.
The captain obeyed mechanically and, turning a deaf ear to the inquiries
of the men, prepared to make the best of an intolerable situation, and
began to cleanse his bunk. First of all he took out the bedding and
shook it thoroughly, and then, pro-curing soap and a bucket of water,
began to scrub with a will. Hostile comments followed the action.
"We ain't clean enough for 'im," said one voice.
"Partikler old party, ain't he, Bill?" said another.
"You leave 'im alone," said the man addressed, surveying the captain's
efforts with a smile of approval. "You keep on, Nugent, don't you mind
'im.
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