The captain's words are like daggers of ice down Ragetti's still-healing back and he wishes he hadn't muttered anything. Even if he was only trying to be helpful. He dares to lift his eyes but not his head and sees the decorated officer is standing right in front of him.
"I . . . I said it w-was the Romans wh-what believed in Neptune, n-not the Greeks. They called 'im Poseidon."
"Are you still TALKING?" the man spat, contemptously.
Ragetti flinched. His knees were shaking. "Aye, Cap'n, you asked me what I said and I done told you."
"Know an awful lot for an illiterate bastard, don't we? Could barely sign our name in the register," he sneered.
"The Bosun signed for me, actually -"
"QUIET!"
Ragetti whimpered and ducked his head. Some of the men snorted to themselves but faintly, choosing to let Ragetti have all the fun.
Cold silence.
"You keep askin' me questions," Ragetti tried to defend, hopelessly.
The Captain's face was purple now, as if he would explode. His mouth opened, but before he could yell out the number of lashes, a new voice interrupted.
"Quit wastin' time on the addle-pated fool, Cap'n! Impress Service obviously dropped him on 'is head several times all the way to port!" the short man on Ragetti's left said.
There was generous laughter to that. The Captain, having no way to punish all his crew at once, raised his voice to yell everyone back into order.
Ragetti found he could breathe again, and looked at the man who'd spoken out of turn for him, smiling. The man, short and balding in an ill-fitted naval coat, sneered back but thumped him friendly enough on the arm as the bosun's whistle blew.
Having nobody else to follow when the line scattered, Ragetti ran after him.