With another desperate effort to swallow his whole soul,
he found himself face to face with Captain Snipes, whose flushed face
showed his ill humor. At his side was the first lieutenant, who, as
Fernando came aft, eyed him with some degree of conscientious vexation
at being compelled to make him the scapegoat of his own negligence.
"Why were you not at your station, sir?" asked the captain.
"What station do you mean, sir?" Fernando asked, forgetting the
accustomed formality of touching his hat, by way of salute, while
speaking with so punctilious an officer as Captain Snipes. This little
fact did not escape the captain's attention.
"Your pretension to ignorance will not help you sir," the Captain
retorted.
The first lieutenant now produced the station bill, and read the name of
Fernando Stevens in connection with the starboard main-lift.
"Captain Snipes," said Fernando in a voice firm and terrible in its
sincerity, "it is the first time I knew I was assigned to that post."
"How is this, Mr. Bacon?" the captain asked turning to the first
lieutenant with a fault-finding expression.
"It is impossible, sir, that this man should not know his station,"
replied, the lieutenant.
"Captain Snipes, I will swear, I never knew it before this moment,"
answered Fernando.
With an oath, the captain cried:
"Do you contradict my officer? I'll flog you, by--!"
Fernando had been on board the frigate for more than two years and
remained unscourged.
Pages:
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203