e.

"'After supper we kept on deck for some time waiting results. At last
Jim went forward and reported everything quiet and the men apparently
all asleep. We found the captain in his cabin lying on his bunk
breathing heavily. The key to the safe was in the captain's pocket, and
we opened it without difficulty. There were six rolls of twenty-dollar
pieces marked two hundred dollars each, eight rolls of ten-dollar
pieces, and a bag of silver.

"'We took the money and some other things we found in the cabin,
including a pair of revolvers, a double-barrelled shot-gun, and a rifle,
and put them in the boat, together with a small keg of water, tinned
meat, and a bag of ship biscuit. After these were carefully stowed away
in the yawl, Jim went back to the cabin, while I busied myself arranging
things in the boat. He soon came on deck again bringing several bottles
of brandy, and coming to the side of the schooner reached them one by
one to me over the side. As he handed me the last bottle I saw the burly
form of our negro cook rise slowly out of the hatchway, rubbing his eyes
as if half asleep. Jim saw my stare of surprise, and, turning quickly,
faced the negro, who was looking at us with a dazed expression. He could
not have drunk of the coffee, for I have since learned the amount of
morphine Jim put in the pot was more than enough to kill the entire
crew.

"'Jim turned, and, walking slowly up to the man, said hoarsely: "Go
down," at the same time pointing to the hatchway.

"'"What for?" asked the negro, moving a step backward.

"'"None of your business what for; go down, I tell you."

"'"I don't take no orders from you, nohow," answered the man. "Where's
the captain?"

"'Without a word Jim struck him full in the face with all his strength.
The blow was an awful one, and the negro staggered back, and would have
fallen had not he brought up against the foremast. He roared with rage,
and came at Jim with a rush like a mad bull. Jim bent sideways, and
something flashed in his hand, as he struck upwards under the man's arm.

"'Instantly the negro stumbled forward, and fell on the deck, and then
sat up and began to cough. He coughed incessantly, like a man who has
swallowed something which choked him. Jim looked at him a moment, and
then, without a word, cast off the painter and jumped into the boat.
There was not a breath of wind, so we each took an oar and pulled
towards the faint line of land just visible in the weste