Then began the mariners to cry out, saying it was the dreadful phantom did this, putting an influence on the sea; and they did murmur against the Captain, casting baleful glances at him, muttering and whispering one to another, because he had ensnared them and brought them to this place. But he regarded it not, standing motionless, with knit brows.
Suddenly a man, being perfectly beside himself with rage and terror, laid hold on a carpenter’s tool that had been left near him on the deck; and made directly towards the Captain, brandishing the weapon and charging like a maddened bull.
And then, beyond doubt, my brother had miserably perished; but Thalass chanced to be standing by, and, thrusting forth his foot as he passed, he effectually tripped up the infuriated man, so that he stumbled and pitched forward upon the deck. But—and here was a horrid thing—the man’s weapon was jerked quite about in his fall, and he fell full upon the point of it, and was pierced through. Whereupon, being in an agony, and quite hopeless of recovery, the Captain shot him dead with his pistol.
Yet was the episode for good one way; for the dreadful sight of it did so control and deaden the hearts of the rest, that they were withheld from mutineering (as, beyond doubt, they had been about to have done), and from murdering the Captain.
The rage and disaffection of the mariners were abated—but not their terror! No whit less eager were they to be gone from this place, and to put many a sea-league betwixt them and the Haunted Island. And, as it came home to them, that, though the darkness concealed it, they drove on still nearer to the island, their panic returned upon them, and they made desperate endeavours to anchor the ship. At last it held—in but ten fathoms water!
Were we, then, gotten in so near to the shore, or was it shoal-water?
We could hear no sound of breakers; but the sea was flat calm, and the clamour of the waterfall still sounded, though less loud. We waited, huddled together like terrified children, peering into the thick darkness.
In that hour, my brother stepped to me, and took me apart beyond hearing of the rest; and, looking upon him, I saw with a pang how grey and old he was become.
He began to speak tense and low.
“Boy,” said he, “take my hand. So. Now say that you forgive me for all.”