He's a Gunner so presumably he's a specialist in regards to maintenance and use of firearms & cannon on board. His insubordination to Midshipman Wellard occurs quite often in the series yet he is never punished. Why is this?
shareBecause the captain liked Hobbs and didn't like or trust Wellard. It's the same reason he let Randall off after the beating he gave to Styles; he had his favorites and made no bones about it.
Further, as the gunner, Hobbs is a warrant officer in his own right, the same rank as the sailing master, purser, bosun, surgeon, and carpenter. As such, he cannot be disciplined in the same way a regular seaman can be; he cannot be flogged, for example. His status relative to Wellard is nominally inferior, but in fact they are really much more equal; it's expected for the young midshipmen to learn from the gunner, just as they do from the master and bosun.