INTO THE PACIFIC I39 



Thomas was writing. 'Have you nothing to do but 

 scribble more reports?' he growled. 



His tone and manner were so offensive that Thomas 

 leapt to his feet and gave free vent to the anger he had so 

 long repressed. 



*What I do with my spare time is my own concern and 

 I'll not seek your permission to write or do anything else 

 that amuses me. As for what I am writing you can believe 

 whatever your darn-fool nature tells you and go to the 

 devil.' 



Hodge's arm flashed and the back of his hand hit 

 Thomas on the mouth. Recovering, Thomas lunged at 

 his senior officer with clenched fist but before he could 

 strike he felt his legs swept from under him by someone 

 from behind. 



'Tom, you fool, stern all!' cried his second attacker as 

 the two fell locked together to the deck and it was not until 

 Thomas saw that it was his friend Hamm, the fourth mate, 

 that he ceased his struggling. 



'Thanks, Hamm,' he breathed as he rose to his feet. 

 'You're right and you probably saved me from spending 

 the rest of the voyage as a fo'castle hand.' 



But the shrewd Hamm was not satisfied until he had 

 coaxed Thomas well away from the first mate. 



The second day in this bay was spent in taking on water 

 from the spring. The full casks were rolled down the 

 beach and lashed together into the form of a raft which 

 was floated out to the anchored ship. 



When the task was finished Thomas removed his clothes 

 and swam naked in the sea. The sight caused great 

 surprise among the company for fishermen and whalemen 

 have always been notoriously poor swimmers preferring, 

 if fate should offer them a watery grave, to enter it with 

 the least delay. 



Refreshed by four days' rest, the men sang as they 

 weighed anchor and unfurled the sails. Soon the 



