"That is strange," wondered the lad, trying to stanch the flow of blood with his handkerchief. He had been about to turn back and rejoin Sam when the incident occurred.
Dan paused to think over just what had happened.
"Oh, I remember, now. I heard something strike the deck. That must have been after it hit me. I'll see if I can find out what it was."
Stepping carefully along over the deck, feeling with his toes, the boy almost tripped over some object which he knew did not belong there.
With an exclamation Dan stooped over. His hand came in contact with a piece of cold steel. The instant his fingers touched it he knew what he had found.
"A marline spike," breathed Dan. "No wonder it hurt."
The missile that had hit him is used for twisting the strands of rope apart. It is of steel, about eight inches long, and tapers to a needle point. It makes a most dangerous weapon.
Dan carried this to the light, examining it carefully. Its point was still moist where it had caught him.
"Somebody must have tried to kill me," he muttered. "An inch further, and I certainly should have been a dead one. Who could have done such a dastardly thing? I can't understand it at all."
The lad hurried back to where he had left his companion. Sam started to speak, but he saw something in the face of Dan Davis that suddenly checked his levity.