The next thing I remember was,
I was lying in a bunk in the forecastle. Everything looked strange
to me, and I couldn't raise my head. After a time I made shift to
turn it round, and saw old Jans sitting on a chest mending a jacket.
I called him, but my voice was so low I hardly seemed to hear it
myself.
"'Ah, my leetle boy!' he said, 'I am glad to hear you speak again.
Two whole weeks you say nothing except talk nonsense.'
"'Have I been ill?' I asked.
"'You haf been vera bad,' he said. 'De captain meant to kill you,
I haf no doubt, and he pretty near do it. After he knock you down
he said you dead. He sorry for accident, not mean to hit you so
hard, but you dead and better be tossed overboard at once. De mates
they come up and take your hands and feet. Den I insist dat I feel
your wrist. Two or three of us dey stood by me. Captain he vera
angry, say we mutinous dogs. I say not mutinous, but wasn't going
to see a boy who was only stunned thrown overboard. We say if he
did dat we make complaint before consul when we get to port. De
skipper he cuss and swear awful. Howebber we haf our way and carry
you here. You haf fever and near die. Tree days after we bring
you here de captain he swear you shamming and comed to look at you
hisself, but he see that it true and tink you going to die.
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