"We don't dare to take no chances with such a desperate murderer."
"No, sir; of course not."
"Men," shouted the captain, "you heard what's been said?"
"We did, sir; an' we seen it all from the beginnin'," answered a voice out of the darkness, a voice full of ugly threat and menace, which the captain did not recognize and thought best to pass unnoticed.
"Poor Mr. Woywod's been killed, you understand. Mr. Salver will take his place as mate of the ship. Mr. Gersey will come aft as second mate, to be obeyed and respected accordin'."
"Damn good riddance," yelled another voice out of the darkness, carefully disguised.
This was too much. He could not overlook a remark of this kind, and yet in the black night there was little he could do, since the speaker was unrecognizable.
"Who said that?" blustered the captain, handling his pistol and peering forward.
There was no answer, of course.
"If the man who made that remark dares to repeat it in daylight, I'll cut his heart out. An' if I hear any more such talk, I'll let fly at the bunch of you as it is. Get for'ard an' to your stations."