th he, as I stretched myself, "why must ye go
a-raising of tumults above deck under our very noses? Here's mighty
ill plight you've got yourself into, and here's me a-wondering how I am
to get ye out again. Here's been murder done, and, look'ee, this
coxcombly captain hath got it into his skull that you're the
murderer--aye, and what's worse, every soul aboard likewise save only
Godby and myself."

"And my lady!" says I.

"True, shipmate, true! She spoke for ye, as I guessed she might."

"And how should you guess this, Adam?"

"By adding one and one, Martin. But even so, comrade, even though she
stand by you--what can she do, or Godby and I for that matter, 'gainst
a whole ship's company crazed wi' panic fear--fear, aye and small
wonder, Martin! Death is bad enough, murder's worse, but for three
hearty fellows to disappear and leave no trace--"

"Aye, but was there no trace, Adam?"

"None, shipmate, none!"

"No blood anywhere?"

"Never a spot, shipmate!"

"Why then is there ever a man aboard with a wounded hand, Adam?"

"Not one to my knowing and I've turned up the crew on deck twice these
last two days--every man and boy, but saw not so much as cut finger or
stained garment among 'em--and I've sharp eyes, Martin. But why d'ye
ask?"

"Because the man who made away with these three fellows was wounded in
the hand, Adam--howbeit that hand was bloody."

"Hand, shipmate," says Penfeather softly, "would it be a right
hand--ha?"

"It was!" I nodded. "The mark of a great right hand."

"Aye, aye!" says Adam, pinching his chin. "A right hand, Martin. And
where was the mark, d'ye say?"

"Beneath my bed."

"Bed, Martin--your bed!" Here he caught his breath and rose up and
stood looking down at me betwixt narrowed lids and a-pinching at his
square chin.

"Aye--there, Adam, the only place in the ship you never thought to
search--there he lay safe hid and I above him in a drugged sleep!"

"Drugged!" says Adam, betwixt shut teeth. "Aye ... drugged ... crass
fool it was not to ha' guessed it ere this." And now he falls silent
and stands very still, only his sinewy fingers pinched and pinched at
his chin as he stared blindly down at the floor. So now I told him of
my fevered dreams and black imaginations, of my growing fears and
suspicions, of the eye had watched me through the knot-hole and of the
man on the river with the boat wherein was the great mis-shapen bundle
which had vanished just after th