To answer this
question rasped the pride of the owner of the _Seamew_. For a seaman
to ask a question of one of the officers--a question of such a
nature--was flaunting authority in any case.
Although Captain Latham considered the question ridiculous and
utterly unworthy of a serious answer, he had replied to it.
He had told the sailor that to the best of his knowledge and belief
the old _Marlin B._ was several thousand miles away from the Cape at
that time, and that the _Seamew_ was herself and no other. In any
case, he had said he had no personal fear of sailing in the schooner
as long as he could keep a decent crew of seamen aboard her, but
that he would stand for no more foolishness from his present crew.
Tunis had spoken quite boldly. But, to tell the truth, he did not
know where or how he was to sign another crew and a cook if the
Portygees deserted the schooner. Not at Big Wreck Cove. He had heard
too many whispers about the curse upon his schooner from people of
all classes in the port. Even Joshua Jones, who was supposed to be a
pretty hard-headed merchant, had been influenced by the story 'Rion
Latham had first told about the _Seamew_. He and his father had
hesitated to give Tunis an order for another lot of freight now
waiting on the dock at Boston.
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