A mild word from his mouth was more valued
than flattery and half a dollar from myself; if he
relaxed at all from his habitual attitude of censure,
smiling alacrity surrounded him; and I was led to think
his theory of captainship, even if pushed to excess,
reposed upon some ground of reason. But even terror
and admiration of the captain failed us before the end.
The men wearied of the hopeless, unremunerative quest
and the long strain of labour. They began to shirk and
grumble. Retribution fell on them at once, and
retribution multiplied the grumblings. With every day
it took harder driving to keep them to the daily
drudge; and we, in our narrow boundaries, were kept
conscious every moment of the ill-will of our
assistants.
In spite of the best care, the object of our search was
perfectly well known to all on board; and there had
leaked out, besides, some knowledge of those
inconsistencies that had so greatly amazed the captain
and myself. I could overhear the men debate the
character of Captain Trent, and set forth competing
theories of where the opium was stowed; and, as they
seemed to have been eavesdropping on ourselves, I
thought little shame to prick up my ears when I had the
return chance of spying upon them.
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