ell crucifix.

CHAPTER IX

A FIGHT IN THE DARK

Dazed for a minute by the discovery that Meeker had been lurking in the
passage while I was listening to Captain Riggs and Harris in the
storeroom, I leaned against the companionway and fingered the shell
crucifix, wondering how near Meeker had come to making an end of me. Of
course, the finding of the crucifix down there, and the man who ran up
the ladder when surprised by Riggs, meant nothing else but that Meeker
had been below either before or after I followed the ship's officers
down.

The fact that he was between me and the companionway was proof enough
that he had come after I had taken my position at the keyhole of the
storeroom, but if I was inclined to make theories and draw conclusions
about Meeker, there were other things going on to distract my attention.

There was much shouting and running on deck, and, before going up, I
listened in the hopes of learning what was taking place, but the roar of
the sea, the throb of the engines, and the thumping of my own heart
prevented me from making any sense of the tumult above. I had a fear that
Riggs had discovered that I was missing from my room, and that he had
found Meeker likewise absent from his quarters.

No matter what had come about, I was in peril as long as I remained where
I was, both from Riggs and Harris and from Meeker and his assassins.
And no matter which side won above, whether Meeker was taken, or Riggs
and Harris killed, I would be regarded as an enemy by the victors.
The best thing for me to do was to surrender to Riggs at once, and secure
my pistols that I might get into the fight with him against Meeker and
his henchmen.

That seemed to be an easy solution of my troubles until I considered that
Riggs and Harris were certain that I was the most dangerous man on board.
Before I could say a word I might be seized and ironed, if not shot on
sight. Perhaps the wiser course would be to get to my room and barricade
myself until affairs were more settled, or until we had the light of day
and I could know with whom I was dealing.

With one hand on the rail of the ladder and the other clutching the
crucifix, I debated with myself about what I should do, while above me I
could hear Riggs and Harris yelling to one another, although I could not
make out what they were saying. I heard Harris say something about "the
parson," and there were shouts from the bridge, and all hands seemed to
be runni