submitted willingly. They seemed relieved to have some one to
direct them, and the alacrity with which they obeyed my orders showed
how they were suffering under the strain of inaction.
I went over to Singleton and put my hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Singleton," I said, "but I'll have to ask you for your
revolver."
Without looking at me, he drew it from his hip pocket and held it out.
I took it: It was loaded.
"It's out of order," he said briefly. "If it had been working right, I
wouldn't be here."
I reached down and touched his wrist. His pulse was slow and rather
faint, his hands cold.
"Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Yes," he snarled. "You can get me a belaying-pin and let me at those
fools over there. Turner did this, and you know it as well as I do!"
I slid his revolver into my pocket, and went back to the men. Counting
Williams and the cook and myself, there were nine of us. The cook I
counted out, ordering him to go to the galley and prepare breakfast.
The eight that were left I divided into two watches, Burns taking one
and I the other. On Burns's watch were Clarke, McNamara, and Williams;
on mine, Oleson, Adams, and Charlie Jones.
It was two bells, or five o'clock. Burns struck the gong sharply as an
indication that order, of a sort, had been restored. The rising sun
was gleaming on the sails; the gray surface of the sea was ruffling
under the morning breeze. From the galley a thin stream of smoke was
rising. Some of the horror of the night went with the darkness, but
the thought of what waited in the cabin below was on us all.
I suggested another attempt to rouse Mr. Turner, and Burns and Clarke
went below. They came back in ten minutes, reporting no change in
Turner's condition. There was open grumbling among the men at the
situation, but we were helpless. Burns and I decided to go on as if
Turner were not on board, until he was in condition to take hold.
We thought it best to bring up the bodies while all the crew was on
duty, and then to take up the watches. I arranged to have one man
constantly on guard in the after house--a difficult matter where all
were under suspicion. Burns suggested Charlie Jones as probably the
most reliable, and I gave him the revolver I had taken from Singleton.
It was useless, but it made at least a show of authority. The rest of
the crew, except Oleson, on guard over the mate, was detailed to assist
in carrying up the three b
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