he man
Gunsaules came out. I went over to the door and listened, but there
was no way for me to lock him in. Surely it must have been him moving,
as he was alone there."

I stood silent, my eyes first on the forward deck, and then sweeping
about the horizon. The view by then was very narrow, the gathering
clouds of mist so dense as to obscure everything, leaving a mere gray
trail of sea revealed, scarcely a hundred yards in extent in any
direction. I hardly perceived even this as my thought centered on this
new peril. Yet why should I hold it a peril? The ending of it was in
my hands, I need not await action, or permit him opportunity. The
warning had come in ample time. Sanchez was still in my power,
separated from his followers, incapable of doing us any serious harm.
All that was needed for me to do was to keep him in close confinement.
We were surely not far from the coast; twenty-four hours, perhaps
twelve, would suffice, to make our escape from this cursed ship
possible. I must get an observation so as to know our exact position;
after that the course would be figured definitely, and I would then
know the time required. My eyes again sought her face.

"He is a danger, of course, but not a serious one," I said
confidently. "It is safe enough to leave him undisturbed at present
with Cole on guard. The first thing I need do is to satisfy those men.
I'll attend to that now, and then see to the proper securing of
Sanchez."

"Shall I remain here?"

"You told the man Cole what you heard?"

"Yes, I explained everything to him before I came on deck."

"Then you are not needed in the cabin. He is a reliable man. Remain
here with LeVere while I go forward, and watch that he does not
attempt to go below."

The fellows had not finished mess, but I felt the danger of further
delay, and talked to them as they sat on deck, explaining briefly the
entire situation, and the causes leading up to the mutiny. I dealt
with the matter in plain terms, making no apparent effort to influence
them, yet forcibly compelling each individual to realize what would be
the result of our recapture. They listened earnestly, asking an
occasional question, and passing comments back and forth freely among
themselves.

I shall never forget that scene, the decks already wet with fog, which
swirled about us in an impenetrable cloud of vapor, utterly blotting
out the sea, and even rendering our faces strange and indistinct. The
foremast disappea