Chapter 53 - Page 2

doing that to pass away a calm.

"Depend on it," said the top-man, "he must somehow have thought I
was making sport of _him_ a while ago, when I was only taking off
old Priming, the gunner's mate. Just look at him once, White-Jacket,
while I make believe coil this here rope; if there arn't a dozen in
that 'ere Captain's top-lights, my name is _horse-marine_. If I could
only touch my tile to him now, and take my Bible oath on it, that I
was only taking off Priming, and not _him_, he wouldn't have such
hard thoughts of me. But that can't be done; he'd think I meant to
insult him. Well, it can't be helped; I suppose I must look out for
a baker's dozen afore long."

I had an incredulous laugh at this. But two days afterward, when
we were hoisting the main-top-mast stun'-sail, and the Lieutenant
of the Watch was reprimanding the crowd of seamen at the halyards
for their laziness--for the sail was but just crawling up to its
place, owing to the languor of the men, induced by the heat--the
Captain, who had been impatiently walking the deck, suddenly
stopped short, and darting his eyes among the seamen, suddenly
fixed them, crying out, "You, Candy, and be damned to you, you
don't pull an ounce, you blackguard! Stand up to that gun, sir;
I'll teach you to be grinning over a rope that way, without
lending your pound of beef to it. Boatswain's mate, where's your
_colt?_ Give that man a dozen."

Removing his hat, the boatswain's mate looked into the crown aghast;
the coiled rope, usually worn there, was not to be found; but the
next instant it slid from the top of his head to the deck. Picking
it up, and straightening it out, he advanced toward the sailor.

"Sir," said Candy, touching and retouching his cap to the Captain,
"I was pulling, sir, as much as the rest, sir; I was, indeed, sir."

"Stand up to that gun," cried the Captain. "Boatswain's mate, do
your duty."

Three stripes were given, when the Captain raised his finger.
"You------,[3] do you dare stand up to be flogged with your hat on!
Take it off, sir, instantly."

----
[FOOTNOTE-3] The phrase here used I have never seen either written
or printed, and should not like to be the first person to introduce
it to the public.
----

Candy dropped it on deck.

"Now go on, boatswain's mate." And the sailor received his dozen.

With his hand to his back he came up to me, where I stood among
the by-standers, saying, "O Lord, O Lord! that boatswain's mate,
too, had a spite agin me; he always thought it was _me_ that set
afloat that yarn about his wife in Norfolk. O Lord! just run your
hand under my shirt will