GABRIEL'S LITTLE DRAMA 103 



" Come down here, you," he said. I stepped 

 into the cabin, now bright with lighted lamps. 

 The captain glared at me savagely. 



" You want to give me a bad name with Cap- 

 tain Shorey when he takes command, do you?" 

 he shouted. " You want to make it appear I 

 have been hard on my men, eh? You think 

 you're a smart sea lawyer, but I'll teach you the 

 bitterest lesson you ever learned. We are bound 

 for the Arctic Ocean. There are no ships up 

 there but whale ships, and we do as we please. I 

 have been sailing to the Arctic for thirteen years 

 as master and mate of whale ships and I know 

 just how far I can go in dealing with a man 

 without making myself liable to law. I am go- 

 ing to make it as rough for you as I know how 

 to make it. I will put you over the jumps right. 

 I will punish you to the limit. This ship is going 

 to be a floating hell for you for the rest of the 

 voyage. And when we get back to San Fran- 

 cisco you can prosecute me all you please." 



He drew a key from his pocket and unlocked 

 one manacle. It dropped from one wrist and 

 dangled from the other. 



