"How was I lying when you found me?"
"They said you were lying on your face."
"If that was the case, I couldn't very well have bumped the back of my head on a hatch cover, could I?"
"That had not occurred to me before. See here, didn't you lose your balance or stumble and fall?"
"I fell, but it was through no fault of my own."
"Will you tell me what did happen?" questioned the captain with a puzzled expression on his face.
"I think I was struck," answered Rush calmly.
"Knocked down?"
"Yes, sir."
"Impossible! Who—what——?"