The bulkheads , all painted in clear white and beaded round with gilt , bore a pattern of dirty hands . Dozens of empty bottles clinked together in corners to the rolling of the ship . One of the doctor 's medical books lay open on the table , half of the leaves gutted out , I suppose , for pipelights . In the midst of all this the lamp still cast a smoky glow , obscure and brown as umber . I went into the cellar ; all the barrels were gone , and of the bottles a most surprising number had been drunk out and thrown away . Certainly , since the mutiny began , not a man of them could ever have been sober . Foraging about , I found a bottle with some brandy left , for Hands ; and for myself I routed out some biscuit , some pickled fruits , a great bunch of raisins , and a piece of cheese . With these I came on deck , put down my own stock behind the rudder head and well out of the coxswain 's reach , went forward to the water-breaker , and had a good deep drink of water , and then , and not till then , gave Hands the brandy . He must have drunk a gill before he took the bottle from his mouth . `` Aye , '' said he , `` by thunder , but I wanted some o ' that ! '' I had sat down already in my own corner and begun to eat . `` Much hurt ? '' I asked him . He grunted , or rather , I might say , he barked . `` If that doctor was aboard , '' he said , `` I 'd be right enough in a couple of turns , but I do n't have no manner of luck , you see , and that 's what 's the matter with me . As for that swab , he 's good and dead , he is , '' he added , indicating the man with the red cap . `` He war n't no seaman anyhow . And where mought you have come from ? '' `` Well , '' said I , `` I 've come aboard to take possession of this ship , Mr. Hands ; and you 'll please regard me as your captain until further notice . '' He looked at me sourly enough but said nothing .
Some of the colour had come back into his cheeks , though he still XXXXX very sick and still continued to slip out and settle down as the ship banged about .
Foraging added asked came clinked looked pickled said sat suppose