The After House

The match burnt out, and I dropped it. I remember mechanically

extinguishing the glowing end with my heel, and then straightening

to such a sense of horror as I have never felt before or since. I

groped for the door; I wanted air, space, the freedom from lurking

death of the open deck.

I had been sleeping with my revolver beside me on the pantry floor.

Somehow or other I got back there and found it. I made an attempt

to find the switch for the cabin lights, and, failing, revolver in

hand, I ran into the chart-room and up the after companionway.

Charlie Jones was at the wheel, and by the light of a lantern I saw

that he was bending to the right, peering in at the chartroom window.

He turned when he heard me.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "I heard a yell a minute ago. Turner on

the rampage?" He saw my revolver then, and, letting go the wheel,

threw up both his hands. "Turn that gun away, you fool!"

I could hardly speak. I lowered the revolver and gasped: "Call the

captain! Vail's been murdered!

"Good God!" he said. "Who did it?" He had taken the wheel again,

and was bringing the ship back to her course. I was turning sick

and dizzy, and I clutched at the railing of the companionway.

"I don't know. Where's the captain?"

"The mate's around." He raised his voice. "Mr. Singleton!" he

called.

There was no time to lose, I felt. My nausea had left me. I ran

forward to where I could dimly see Singleton looking in my direction.

"Singleton! Quick!" I called. "Bring your revolver."

He stopped and peered in my direction.

"Who is it?"

"Leslie. Come below, for God's sake!"

He came slowly toward me, and in a dozen words I told him what had

happened. I saw then that he had been drinking. He reeled against

me, and seemed at a loss to know what to do.

"Get your revolver," I said, "and wake the captain."

He disappeared into the forward house, to come back a moment later

with a revolver. I had got a lantern in the mean time, and ran to

the forward companionway which led into the main cabin. Singleton

followed me.

"Where's the captain?" I asked.

"I didn't call him," Singleton replied, and muttered something

unintelligible under his breath.

Swinging the lantern ahead of me, I led the way down the companionway.

Something lay huddled at the foot. I had to step over it to get down.

Singleton stood above, on the steps. I stooped and held the lantern

close, and we both saw that it was the captain, killed as Vail had

been. He was fully dressed except for his coat, and as he lay on his

back, his cap had been placed over his mutilated face.