Here you, Mapes, stop that unloading, and get steam up--we've got to put in a night of it." "But," insisted Kirby in disgust, "I'm not going up there; aren't there any boats going down ?" "How the hell should I know?
Go ashore and find out--you haven't anything else to do.

According to what he said, this boat casts off in half an hour and heads north." The men below knocked off work willingly enough, and, taking advantage of the confusion on board, I endeavored to creep up the stairs and gain a view of the upper deck.

But both Mapes and the second mate made this attempt impossible, forcing me into the ranks of the others, and compelling us to restow the cargo.

The methods they adopted to induce sluggards to take hold were not gentle ones, and we were soon jumping at the snarl of their voices, as though each utterance was the crack of a whip.

By a little diplomacy, I managed, however, to remain within general view of the gangway and the stairs descending from the deck above, confident that no one could pass me unseen.