Now , here 's what I say : you 'll berth forward , and you 'll live hard , and you 'll speak soft , and you 'll keep sober till I give the word ; and you may lay to that , my son . '' `` Well , I do n't say no , do I ? '' growled the coxswain . `` What I say is , when ? That 's what I say . '' `` When ! By the powers ! '' cried Silver . `` Well now , if you want to know , I 'll tell you when . The last moment I can manage , and that 's when . Here 's a first-rate seaman , Cap'n Smollett , sails the blessed ship for us . Here 's this squire and doctor with a map and such -- I do n't know where it is , do I ? No more do you , says you . Well then , I mean this squire and doctor shall find the stuff , and help us to get it aboard , by the powers . Then we 'll see . If I was sure of you all , sons of double Dutchmen , I 'd have Cap'n Smollett navigate us half-way back again before I struck . '' `` Why , we 're all seamen aboard here , I should think , '' said the lad Dick . `` We 're all forecastle hands , you mean , '' snapped Silver . `` We can steer a course , but who 's to set one ? That 's what all you gentlemen split on , first and last .
If I had my way , I 'd have Cap'n XXXXX work us back into the trades at least ; then we 'd have no blessed miscalculations and a spoonful of water a day .
Dick Dutchmen Smollett coxswain first forecastle gentlemen seaman son word