 everything to the chief mate, who, as
the story went, had been given his captain in charge. Yet, despite his apparent
unobtrusiveness, the silent captain had more to do with the men than they
thought. In short, although one of your sheepish- fellows, he had a sort of
still, timid cunning, which no one would have suspected, and which, for that
very reason, was all the more active. So the bluff mate, who always thought he
did what he pleased, was occasionally made a tool of; and some obnoxious
measures which he carried out, in spite of all growlings, were little thought to
originate with the dapper little fellow in nankeen jacket and white canvas
pumps. But, to all appearance, at least, the mate had everything his own way;
indeed, in most things this was actually the case; and it was quite plain that
the captain stood in awe of him.
    So far as courage, seamanship, and a natural aptitude for keeping riotous
spirits in subjection were concerned, no man was better qualified for his
vocation than John Jermin. He was the very beau-ideal of the efficient race of
short, thick-set men. His hair curled in little rings of iron gray all over his
round, bullet head. As for his countenance, it was strongly marked, deeply
pitted with the small-pox. For the rest, there was a fierce little squint out of
one eye; the nose had a rakish twist to one side; while his large mouth, and
great white teeth, looked absolutely sharkish when he laughed. In a word, no
one, after getting a fair look at him, would ever think of improving the shape
of his nose, wanting in symmetry if it was. Notwithstanding his pugnacious
looks, however, Jermin had a heart as big as a bullock's; that you saw at a
glance.
    Such was our mate; but he had one failing: he abhorred all weak infusions,
and cleaved manfully to strong drink. At all times he was more or less under the
influence of it. Taken in moderate quantities, I believe, in my soul, it did a
man like him good; brightened his eyes, swept the cobwebs out of his brain, and
regulated his pulse. But the worst of it was, that sometimes he drank too much,
and a more obstreperous fellow than Jermin in his cups, you seldom came across.
He was always for having a fight; but the very men he flogged loved him as a
brother, for he had such an irresistibly good-
