e blood from my eyes I
started in pursuit.

At the head of the companion-stairs I collided heavily with Newmarch,
who had just rushed up from the cabin, and the force of the shock nearly
threw him off his feet.

"Confound it!" he cried. "What's the matter with you?"

"One of the Kanakas nearly cut my eye out!" I roared. "He flung a knife
at me and ducked for the f'c'stle."

I left him standing in angry astonishment and rushed forward. I stood at
the top of the ladder and listened. The only noises that came up were
the shrill snores of the islanders, but the blood that streamed down my
face made me forget prudence, and I scrambled down into the stuffy
quarters, where the odour of natives was overwhelming.

A swinging lamp dimly illuminated the place, and I snatched it from its
hook and swung it over the face of the naked occupant of the first bunk.
A glance convinced me that his sleep was genuine. His mouth was wide
open as he snored, and the native who feigns sleep hasn't enough sense
to make his imitation more real by opening his mouth.

The man in the next bunk, a muscular Kanaka, had his face turned away
from me, and in spite of his prolonged snore my suspicions were aroused.
I thrust my hand beneath the single blanket that covered him, and was
immediately convinced that I had discovered the culprit. The blanket was
cold.

"Here, you scoundrel!" I yelled, dropping the lamp and poking him
roughly in the ribs. "What the devil do you mean by trying to knife me?"

He opened his big eyes and stared at me stupidly, while the occupants of
the other bunks, who were aroused by my shout, sat up and rubbed their
eyes.

"Why did you throw that knife?" I screamed.

"I no throw knife," he muttered. "Me sleep, very tired."

The pain of my wound maddened me, and I seized him roughly and dragged
him toward the ladder with the intention of bringing him before the
bilious captain.

I had grasped a rung to haul myself up when a heavy boot came down on my
fingers and the voice of the captain screamed an objection.

"Stop that business!" he shrieked.

"But this devil tried to knife me!" I protested.

"Let him go!" yelled Newmarch. "Do you hear me? Let him go this
instant!"

I let go my grip of the Kanaka, who immediately dived for his bunk and
curled himself up as if he had no further interest in the proceedings.
The captain was beside me then, and his quick breathing betrayed his
excitement. As I lifted the lamp back