bin
tended to set it there. But no sooner had this gloomy suspicion found
place in my mind than it and those troubles which had beset me of late,
and the loss of that sleep which I had failed to enjoy the night before,
together cast me into such a ferment of spirits as I hope I may never
again experience. Nor could I reason my mind out of what I could not but
feel might be insane and unreasonable fancyings.

At last I could bear my uncertainties no longer, but went down into the
great cabin, and so to the door of the berth which Captain Leach
occupied. I knocked softly upon the door, and then waited a while, but
received no answer. After that I knocked again, and louder, but with no
better success than before. Finding I was like to have no answer to my
knocking, I tried the door, and found that it was locked.

My heart began to beat at a great rate at all this; but I suddenly
bethought me that perhaps the captain was a sound sleeper and not easily
roused. If this were so, and he were in his cabin, and had locked the
door upon himself, I could easily convince myself of the fact, for it
hardly could be doubted but that the key would be in the key-hole. I
drew out my pocket-knife, opened a small blade which it contained, and
thrust it into the key-hole. There was no key there!

This discovery acted upon my spirits in such a manner that a douse of
water could not have cooled me quicker; for now that my worst suspicions
were so far confirmed--for I felt well assured that Captain Leach was
nowhere aboard the ship--my perturbation left me, and I grew of a sudden
as calm as I am at this very moment. However, to make matters more
assured, I rapped again upon the door of the cabin, and this time with
more vigor than before; but although I repeated the knocking four or
five times, I received no answer, and so went upon deck to consider the
matter at my leisure.

My first thought was of the jewel in my keeping, and that Captain Leach
had made off with it. My cooler reason told me that this could not be,
I having taken such effectual means to hide it, as before stated.
Nevertheless, I went to my cabin and examined my hiding-place to set my
mind at rest, finding, as might be expected, that the jewel was safely
there.

My first impulse was to tell Mr. Langely of my suspicions, but in
digesting the matter it appeared to me best to keep them to myself for
the present; for if I should, after all, prove wrong in my surmise, it
would