As the captain emerged from the passage to the open deck, he heard Pearson reply in the same language.
"What's the matter ?" he asked.
Pearson answered without turning his head.
"Drunken sailors," he explained.

"Part of the crew here.

They've been uptown, got full, and come back to square a grudge they seem to have against the steward.

I'm telling them they'd better give up and go ashore, if they know when they're well off." The three fellows by the ladder's foot were consulting together.

On the wharf were half a dozen loungers, collected by the prospect of a row.
"If I can hold them off for a few minutes," went on Pearson, "we'll be all right.