the ship with terrible
and cold blue eyes. "Can't we get at her?"

"Not unless some one jumps out and shoves behind," said Cary. "I shall
down again and finish that mackerel, if this roll has not chucked it to
the cockroaches under the table."

"Don't jest, Will! I can't stand it," said Amyas, in a voice which
quivered so much that Cary looked at him. His whole frame was trembling
like an aspen. Cary took his arm, and drew him aside.

"Dear old lad," said he, as they leaned over the bulwarks, "what is
this? You are not yourself, and have not been these four days."

"No. I am not Amyas Leigh. I am my brother's avenger. Do not reason
with me, Will: when it is over I shall be merry old Amyas again," and he
passed his hand over his brow.

"Do you believe," said he, after a moment, "that men can be possessed by
devils?"

"The Bible says so."

"If my cause were not a just one, I should fancy I had a devil in me. My
throat and heart are as hot as the pit. Would to God it were done, for
done it must be! Now go."

Cary went away with a shudder. As he passed down the hatchway he looked
back. Amyas had got the hone out of his pocket, and was whetting away
again at his sword-edge, as if there was some dreadful doom on him, to
whet, and whet forever.

The weary day wore on. The strip of blue sky was curtained over again,
and all was dismal as before, though it grew sultrier every moment; and
now and then a distant mutter shook the air to westward. Nothing could
be done to lessen the distance between the ships, for the Vengeance had
had all her boats carried away but one, and that was much too small
to tow her: and while the men went down again to finish dinner, Amyas
worked on at his sword, looking up every now and then suddenly at the
Spaniard, as if to satisfy himself that it was not a vision which had
vanished.

About two Yeo came up to him.

"He is ours safely now, sir. The tide has been running to the eastward
for this two hours."

"Safe as a fox in a trap. Satan himself cannot take him from us!"

"But God may," said Brimblecombe, simply.

"Who spoke to you, sir? If I thought that He--There comes the thunder at
last!"

And as he spoke an angry growl from the westward heavens seemed to
answer his wild words, and rolled and loudened nearer and nearer, till
right over their heads it crashed against some cloud-cliff far above,
and all was still.

Each man looked in the other's face: but Amyas was unmoved.

"