were scrutinized more and more carefully, while from time to
time, the voice of an officer taking soundings, echoed on the air. At
last the captain's finger stopped on a group of islands and he said
quietly: "We are off the Ladrones." At the same moment a sailor on the
mast-head shouted: "Land!" Without the slightest change of expression,
the captain repeated: "The Ladrones."

Then, folding the chart, he took out a small silver whistle and, blowing
a signal, ordered the mate to summon the crew to investigate the
occurrences of the preceding night.

The Isles of Thieves were but a few miles distant, they had no cannon,
their sails were tattered, yet the captain spoke as calmly in passing
sentence upon his men as though he were sitting in the utmost security
upon a jury bench.

"By whose directions were the sick thrown overboard?" he asked, turning
his stern face toward the crew.

"The doctor ordered it," replied an old seaman.

"You, Scudamore?" inquired the captain, wheeling round to look a tall
thin man in the face.

The latter's countenance was one of those which, at the first glance,
appear smooth and gentle, whose features when smiling are even
captivating, until some expression of mockery or greed of vengeance
suddenly transforms the winning glance into an image of horror.

"You gave the order yourself, Captain Rolls," replied the surgeon, with
a smiling face, and in a tone of marked gentleness, as if the subject
under discussion were some very noble deed, which he declined to
acknowledge merely from exaggerated modesty. "When the ship sprung a
leak, you commanded that all the superfluous ballast should be thrown
overboard. The men first cast out the heavy ballast; then you ordered
them to add whatever else could be spared. Then the cannon went, though
it was a great pity, for we stand in need of them, especially when off
the Ladrones, but even this did not lighten the ship sufficiently. You
again issued orders that everything superfluous must be cast into the
sea. There was nothing left which could be dispensed with except the
bars of silver and the sick. The crew began to discuss which should be
thrown overboard. I answered: 'We shall not be asked for the _men_ when
we reach London, but we shall be for the silver;' and, by my advice, the
silver was saved and the ship weathered the storm."

"Dr. Scudamore," said the captain, with cool deliberation, "for this
inhuman deed you will be cashiered, kept in ir