Read Online The 22 Letters by Richard; Clive; Kennedy King - Free Book Online Page A

woodcutters.”
    â€œAye, sir,” said the boatswain, still troubled. “Trouble is, there’s some of them aren’t sailors, and never will be. I tell you, sir,” and the boatswain’s voice lowered to a husky whisper, “it’s the big fellow, Quoph, that’s the troublemaker. He’s no seaman, best of times. Been a soldier, but thinks sitting in a ship’s an easier way of getting around than foot-slogging it through the desert. Now he’s wishing he’d never left shore. Him and some of the others are saying they’ll make you turn round and go back to land.”
    â€œDo they think I can turn the wind round too, so they can sail back?” asked Nun scornfully.
    â€œThey say they’d rather row, than sail the devil knows where,” replied the boatswain.
    â€œTell ’em never mind what the devil knows, their captain knows where he’s going,” said Nun angrily. “And I’ll alter course when I see fit, not when they do.” The boatswain looked at him, as if still uncertain that the captain did know where he was going, but said no more and went forward again. Nun looked after him, saw him speaking to a knot of men, among whom he recognized Quoph, the monkey-faced ex-soldier, saw the boatswain leave the group and the rest of them continue to wave their arms in argument. Then he saw Quoph coming aft down the ship toward him. A few steps behind him was a small group of men, looking equally surly but not quite so bold.
    â€œWe’re going back to land,” said Quoph roughly, halting at the beginning of the poop deck.
    â€œGood-bye,” said Nun, just as curtly, leaning lightly on the steering oar and eyeing the waves. “Enjoy your swim!”
    Quoph flushed angrily. “We’re not joking,” he growled. “Turn the ship round!”
    Nun noted Quoph’s rising rage, and also that the rest of the group were hanging back. I can deal with this one alone, he thought. Aloud he said: “No ignorant soldier gives orders here. I’m in command.”
    â€œIf you won’t turn, we’ll make you,” Quoph snarled. He pulled out a copper seamen’s knife from his dress.
    If I provoke him, he’ll rush me with the knife, thought Nun, judging the lift of the swell from astern. He turned to Quoph, and putting all the contempt he could into words, sneered, “Get forrard, you scabby ape!”
    That did it. Red with rage and without looking to see if he was followed by his supporters, Quoph launched himself with a shambling run across the deck. At the same instant Nun put all his weight on the steering oar. The ship yawed, a swell from astern caught her on the quarter, the deck tilted, and Quoph’s rush took him straight over the ship’s side into the sea. Only then did Nun hesitate for a second, seeing a coil of rope lying handy by the bulwarks. But his second thoughts made him pick up the coil and fling it toward the man floundering in the water. Quoph grasped the bare end and hung on, Nun took a turn round a post with the other end and held it, then turned to the other members of the crew who were still holding back at the other end of the deck.
    â€œYour friend would rather swim home than stay with us,” Nun called to them. “Anyone else like to join him?” The men shook their heads.
    â€œI’ll let him go alone, then?” asked Nun, letting the rope run out a little round the post as he turned the steering oar again and put the ship back on course.
    â€œSave me, save me! I can’t swim!” came the plaintive voice of Quoph from the sea. The ship was moving so fast through the water that it was all he could do to keep hold of the end of the rope.
    The men flinched as the line ran out, but one of them muttered, “Best let him go. He only makes trouble.”
    â€œThe rest of you are content to stay with me and obey orders?” Nun asked them.
    â€œAye,”