down the fore-scuttle
and told us what had happened. We sprung on deck. Taylor was getting
black in the face. It was more than we could stand, and in a body we
rushed aft, and before the mate could interfere, for the captain was
below, we cut him down, and carried him forward. The mate sung out,
"Mutiny!" and the captain came on deck with his pistols. But we told
him he might shoot one and all of us, but we would not see a messmate
murdered before our eyes. Our determined manner somewhat awed the
captain, and swearing that he would be even with us before long, he let
us have our way. Poor Taylor did not die at once, as we expected he
would; but that night he was in a high fever, and raved and shrieked
till he made us all tremble with terror.

At noon next day the captain observed that Taylor was not on deck. He
asked why he did not come. No one answered. "Then I'll soon learn the
cause," he exclaimed, leaping down forward. In another moment he sprung
up again, followed by Taylor. The hair of the latter was all standing
on end; his eyeballs were starting from their sockets; he had only his
shirt on, with the sleeves rolled up, showing his thin bony arms and
legs. He was shrieking terrifically. The captain attempted to kick him
back as he appeared above the hatchway; but he evaded the blow, and
stood on deck confronting his persecutor. The strength of madness was
upon him. He made a spring at the captain, and would have hurled him, I
verily believe, overboard; but at that moment the first mate rushing
forward, struck the poor fellow a blow on the back of the head with a
handspike. He gave one glance at his murderer as he fell, and in a few
minutes his limbs stiffened, and he was dead. The captain and mate went
aft as he fell, leaving him on the deck, and talked together.

After some time the mate sung out, "Rouse that fellow up, some of you
there! Ill or not ill, he must do his duty." None of us spoke or
stirred, and at last he came forward and kicked the corpse, as if to
make the man get up. We guessed all the time that he knew perfectly
well that Taylor was dead. There he lay where he fell, till the second
mate, who had been below, came on deck, and, going up to the body,
discovered the truth. He, of course, reported the man's death to the
captain.

"Heave the carcass overboard, Mr Sims," was the answer. "Let's hear no
more about the rascal."

Sailors have a dislike to have a dead body in the