If it's all right, my
lawyers will use it. If it isn't--" He shrugged his shoulders.

I had never liked the man, and his tacit acknowledgment that he might
incriminate himself made me eye him with shuddering distaste. But I
took down his story, and reproduce it here, minus the technicalities
and profanity with which it was interlarded.

Briefly, Singleton's watch began at midnight. The captain, who had
been complaining of lumbago, had had the cook prepare him a mustard
poultice, and had retired early. Burns was on watch from eight to
twelve, and, on coming into the forward house at a quarter after eleven
o'clock to eat his night lunch, reported to Singleton that the captain
was in bed and that Mr. Turner had been asking for him. Singleton,
therefore, took his cap and went on deck. This was about twenty
minutes after eleven. He had had a drink or two earlier in the
evening, and he took another in his cabin when he got his cap.

He found Turner in the chart-house, playing solitaire and drinking. He
was alone, and he asked Singleton to join him. The first mate looked
at his watch and accepted the invitation, but decided to look around
the forward house to be sure the captain was asleep. He went on deck.
He could hear Burns and the lookout talking. The forward house was
dark. He listened outside the captain's door, and heard him breathing
heavily, as if asleep. He stood there for a moment. He had an uneasy
feeling that some one was watching him. He thought of Schwartz, and
was uncomfortable. He did not feel the whiskey at all.

He struck a light and looked around. There was no one in sight. He
could hear Charlie Jones in the forecastle drumming on his banjo, and
Burns whistling the same tune as he went aft to strike the bell. (It
was the duty of the officer on watch to strike the hour.) It was then
half after eleven. As he passed the captain's door again, his foot
struck something, and it fell to the floor. He was afraid the captain
had been roused, and stood still until he heard him breathing regularly
again. Then he stooped down. His foot had struck an axe upright
against the captain's door, and had knocked it down.

The axe belonged on the outer wall of the forward house. It was a rule
that it must not be removed from its place except in emergency, and the
first mate carried it out and leaned it against the forward port corner
of the after house when he went below. Later, on his watch, he carried