pparently in a fit, while the others stood wonderingly around.

"The forecastle deck was just out of water, and there was no wash; but
in spite of this, the wriggling, screaming man slid head-first along
the break and plunged into the water on the main deck.

"I scrambled forward, still carrying the ax, and the men tumbled down
into the water after the man; but we could not get near him. We could
see him under water, feebly moving, but not swimming; and yet he shot
this way and that faster than a man ever swam; and once, as he passed
near me, I noticed a gaping wound in his neck, from which the blood was
flowing in a stream--a stream like a current, which did not mix with
the water and discolor it.

"Soon his movements ceased, and I waded toward him; but he shot swiftly
away from me, and I did not follow, for something cold, slimy, and firm
touched my hand--something in the water, but which I could not see.

"I floundered back, still holding the ax, and sang out to the men to
keep away from the dead man; for he was surely dead by now. He lay
close to the break of the topgallant forecastle, on the starboard side;
and as the men mustered around me I gave one my ax, told the rest to
secure others, and to chop away the useless wreck pounding our port
side--useless because it was past all seamanship to patch up that
basketlike hull, pump it out, and raise jury rigging.

"While they were doing it, I secured a long pike pole from its beckets,
and, joined by the professor, cautiously approached the body prodding
ahead of me.

"As I neared the dead man, the pike pole was suddenly torn from my
grasp, one end sank to the deck, while the other raised above the
water; then it slid upward, fell, and floated close to me. I seized it
again and turned to the professor.

"'What do you make of this, Herr Smidt?' I asked. 'There is something
down there that we cannot see--something that killed that man. See the
blood?'

"He peered closely at the dead man, who looked curiously distorted and
shrunken, four feet under water. But the blood no longer was a thin
stream issuing from his neck; it was gathered into a misshapen mass
about two feet away from his neck.

"'Nonsense,' he answered. 'Something alive which we cannot see is
contrary to all laws of physics. Der man must have fallen und hurt
himself, which accounts for der bleeding. Den he drowned in der water.
Do you see?--mine Gott! What iss?'

"He suddenly went under water hims