some of us." And the fellow sighed heavily with mingled apprehension
and relief.

"You had better tell me the whole of your story," said Leslie, quietly.
"I shall then be in a position to say whether I can help you or not. If
I can, you may rest assured that I will."

"Thank 'e, sir," murmured the man. "Well, ye see, sir, it's like this.
We sailed from London for Capetown a little more than four months ago;
and everything went smooth and comfortable enough with us until we got
across the line and into the south-east trades--for the skipper, poor
Cap'n Hopkins, was as nice and pleasant a man as anybody need wish to
sail under; and so was Mr Marshall, too--that's the mate, you'll
understand, sir--although 'e kep' the men up to their dooty, and
wouldn't 'ave no skulkin' aboard. The only chap as was anyways
disagreeable was this feller Turnbull, who was rated as bo'sun, and give
charge of the starboard watch, actin' as a sort of second mate, ye see.
Well, as I was sayin', everything went all right until we got to the
s'uth'ard of the line. Then, one night I was woke up some time after
midnight by a terrific row in the cabin; and up I jumps and out I goes
to see what was up. When I got into the cabin it seemed full of men;
but I'd no sooner shown my nose than one of the chaps--it was Pete
Burton, I remember--catches sight of me, and, takin' me by the collar,
'e runs me back into my cabin and says, `You stay in there, Jim,'--my
name's Reynolds--Jim Reynolds--you'll understand, sir. `You stay in
there, Jim,' 'e says, `and no 'arm'll come to you; but if you tries to
come out afore you're called, you'll get 'urt,' 'e says. Then 'e turns
the key upon me, and I gets back into my bunk, and listens. The next
thing I 'eard was a pistol-shot; then there was another tremenjous
'ullabaloo, men shoutin' and strugglin' together, followed by a suddent
silence, and the sound of all 'ands clearin' out of the cabin. Then
there was a lot of tramplin' of feet on the poop over my 'ead, with a
good deal of talkin'; then I 'eard somebody cry out, there was a 'eavy
splash in the water alongside, and then everything went quite quiet all
of a sudden, and I 'eard no more until mornin'. But I guessed pretty
well what 'ad 'appened; and when Turnbull come along about five bells
and unlocked my door and ordered me to turn out and get about my work, I
found I was right, for when I went for'ard to the galley, Slushy--that's
the cook, otherwise k