{"id":"01KG8AKVGC3GES526T55ZQ6F83","cid":"bafkreihz2n7nw24xrxgro3y6knizg7bv2p7o5mkrcatczuoqfxvvu3pvom","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":2890,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:15.149Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 2","source_file":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","start_line":2811,"text":"With this intention, I determined to take no part in anything that\r\nmight happen until my case was decided upon. As for the doctor, he had\r\nall along pretended to be more or less unwell; and by a significant\r\nlook now given me, it was plain that he was becoming decidedly worse.\r\n\r\nThe invalids disposed of for the present, and one of them having gone\r\nbelow to be examined, the consul turned round to the rest, and\r\naddressed them as follows:—\r\n\r\n“Men, I’m going to ask you two or three questions—let one of you answer\r\nyes or no, and the rest keep silent. Now then: Have you anything to say\r\nagainst your mate, Mr. Jermin?” And he looked sharply among the\r\nsailors, and, at last, right into the eye of the cooper, whom everybody\r\nwas eyeing.\r\n\r\n“Well, sir,” faltered Bungs, “we can’t say anything against Mr.\r\nJermin’s seamanship, but—”\r\n\r\n“I want no buts,” cried the consul, breaking in: “answer me yes or\r\nno—have you anything to say against Mr. Jermin?”\r\n\r\n“I was going on to say, sir; Mr. Jermin’s a very good man; but then—”\r\nHere the mate looked marlinespikes at Bungs; and Bungs, after\r\nstammering out something, looked straight down to a seam in the deck,\r\nand stopped short.\r\n\r\nA rather assuming fellow heretofore, the cooper had sported many\r\nfeathers in his cap; he was now showing the white one.\r\n\r\n“So much then for that part of the business,” exclaimed Wilson,\r\nsmartly; “you have nothing to say against him, I see.”\r\n\r\nUpon this, several seemed to be on the point of saying a good deal; but\r\ndisconcerted by the cooper’s conduct, checked themselves, and the\r\nconsul proceeded.\r\n\r\n“Have you enough to eat, aboard? answer me, you man who spoke before.”\r\n\r\n“Well, I don’t know as to that,” said the cooper, looking excessively\r\nuneasy, and trying to edge back, but pushed forward again. “Some of\r\nthat salt horse ain’t as sweet as it might be.”\r\n\r\n“That’s not what I asked you,” shouted the consul, growing brave quite\r\nfast; “answer my questions as I put them, or I’ll find a way to make\r\nyou.”\r\n\r\nThis was going a little too far. The ferment, into which the cooper’s\r\npoltroonery had thrown the sailors, now brooked no restraint; and one\r\nof them—a young American who went by the name of Salem—dashed out from\r\namong the rest, and fetching the cooper a blow that sent him humming\r\nover toward the consul, flourished a naked sheath-knife in the air, and\r\nburst forth with “I’m the little fellow that can answer your questions;\r\njust put them to me once, counsellor.” But the “counsellor” had no more\r\nquestions to ask just then; for at the alarming apparition of Salem’s\r\nknife, and the extraordinary effect produced upon Bungs, he had popped\r\nhis head down the companion-way, and was holding it there.\r\n\r\nUpon the mate’s assuring him, however, that it was all over, he looked\r\nup, quite flustered, if not frightened, but evidently determined to put\r\nas fierce a face on the matter as practicable. Speaking sharply, he\r\nwarned all present to “look out”; and then repeated the question,\r\nwhether there was enough to eat aboard. Everyone now turned spokesman;\r\nand he was assailed by a perfect hurricane of yells, in which the oaths\r\nfell like hailstones.\r\n\r\n“How’s this! what d’ye mean?” he cried, upon the first lull; “who told\r\nyou all to speak at once? Here, you man with the knife, you’ll be\r\nputting someone’s eyes out yet; d’ye hear, you sir? You seem to have a\r\ngood deal to say, who are you, pray; where did you ship?”\r\n\r\n“I’m nothing more nor a bloody beach-comber,” retorted Salem, stepping\r\nforward piratically and eyeing him; “and if you want to know, I shipped\r\nat the Islands about four months ago.”\r\n\r\n“Only four months ago? And here you have more to say than men who have\r\nbeen aboard the whole voyage;” and the consul made a dash at looking\r\nfurious, but failed. “Let me hear no more from you, sir. Where’s that\r\nrespectable, gray-headed man, the cooper? he’s the one to answer my\r\nquestions.”\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 2"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJHQ7VD1N43QAS81FVTGH","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1H7Y803CZ7X80F0QFHZ","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKVGCKJ60KBH4BC2F1FSW","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AKVG773E4HQMKHTJ1F6N4","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:17.932Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:25.665Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}