I--I haven't done a thing--true an' honest, I haven't!"
The listeners gathered closer. Tunis Latham's face displayed such
rage that the Portygees expected him to continue his attack with the
oar. But instead he shook it before their eyes--and Orion's.
"See it?" he demanded of the bystanders. "That's the scurvy trick
the dog played me. Found this broken oar in somebody's woodpile,
burned the name of the _Marlin B._ into the handle, and foisted it
on a fool crew to prove that my schooner was once called by that
name. I ought to pound him to death!"
Suddenly a brilliant figure whirled into the midst of the crowd and
reached the angry skipper and his victim. Eunez, her black eyes
ablaze, her face ruddy with anger, planted herself before Tunis
Latham, hands on hips, confronting him boldly. One glance at the
prostrate Orion assured her that, although there was blood upon his
face, he was not much hurt. She tossed her head and snapped her
fingers under the nose of the captain of the _Seamew_.
"So now, Tunis Latham! It is that you have waked up! Of a gr-r-reat
smartness are you, eh?" she cried. "You scorn us all, and tr-r-reat
us as you would dogs. Heh! All you shipmasters are alike.
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