He, however, refused to be left alone, and I did not count him a coward because of his fears.
What with the apparition and ghostly voice, and the possibility that a Britisher might be roaming around the hold ready to make an attempt in case a single sentinel should be left on duty, it was by no means cheerful to take one’s chances alone.
Those sailors who had been acting as guard during the night left their muskets, when they went on deck, according to custom, nearabout the ladder leading to the gun-deck, in case we might need them.
Heretofore the weapons had remained undisturbed, because while the door of the brig was firmly secured it did not seem as if we had any use for them.
Now, however, I armed myself with a musket, Simon doing the same, and once more we retired out of ear-shot for consultation.
There was in my mind a very well-defined idea that we should, without delay, acquaint the captain of our discovery, and yet I was eager to first avoid the possibility of a mistake by questioning some of the men as to the number of prisoners we had taken aboard, lest we be laughed at for entertaining cowardly fears.
My mind was in such a whirl, what with one thing and another happening during the past four and twenty hours, that I was not willing to accept as evidence the fact that the cooks had filled nineteen pannikins with food.
I suggested as much to Simon, whereupon he declared that nothing would induce him to remain in the hold alone; but that if I was so eager the matter be settled at once, he would go on deck, leaving me to stand guard.
Then I suddenly came to the conclusion that no great harm could be done, at least during this forenoon when we were keeping careful watch, and it might be as well that we wait until the prisoners were taken out for exercise.
The Britishers must have understood that there was something unusual in the wind, for it had been our custom to pass the time in conversation with them, whereas we now held ourselves aloof, not even offering to tell them what the weather might be.