without being seen from the forecastle.

It was from the forecastle that he hoped to get some inkling of how
the crew was getting on. Immediately after the anchor was down
Trask observed that the crew had gone below, and, except for an
occasional gruff call, or a joking sally, nothing had been seen or
heard from them.

Trask was confident they had not turned in to sleep. There had been
sounds of rough gaiety, promptly subdued, and a few bars of music
on a mouth organ, checked abruptly. The scuttle had been closed,
and Trask thought it queer that there should be a desire to shut
themselves up, for while the evening was cool enough in the open,
the temperature arose in a stifling way at any shutting off of the
air currents.

Trask would have thought nothing of it if the crew had openly
quarrelled, or engaged in skylarking, or had sat around and smoked
and chatted quietly. But they appeared ominously furtive. And
Trask knew that if there was anything sinister behind their
skulking, Peth must have a hand in whatever was going on.

The lamp must be disposed of in a manner not to attract the
attention of either the crew or those aft. He first thought of
calling softly to Doc Bird and asking him to put out the light. But
if Doc demurred, or declared that the light could not be
extinguished except by order of Jarrow, Trask would have called
attention to his own wishes and his plan would be balked.

Besides, Doc would undoubtedly want to talk, and Jarrow would
thereby be disturbed and become watchful, and all hands aft be
roused. If the light were put out at Trask's request, and later he
was found prowling on deck, he could no longer maintain his
character of being a person without suspicion of anything amiss
aboard.

But if he put the light out himself, he could offer the plea that
it prevented him from sleeping, and the same excuse could be given
if he were later found outside for a little fresh air. If any of
the crew did resent his presence forward, he would have proof that
they were wary of being spied upon. That, if nothing more, would
indicate to him that his suspicions were well founded.

He got out of his bunk with great care and struck a match. Then he
stepped boldly into the cabin and turned down the lamp until the
wick snuffed out the flame. With the match still burning in his
hand, he went back to his room, thus establishing for any watcher
the fact that he had returned to bed after the lamp was
extinguis