All these were horrid imaginings; but neither Snowball nor the sailor could help giving way to them. Otherwise they could not account for the dreadful drama of which that bloodstained boat must have been the scene.
Supposing their conjectures to have been correct, no wonder that the sole survivor of such scenes should have been found a raving lunatic,—no wonder the man had gone mad!
Chapter Ninety Three.
The Catamaran abandoned.
For some time the crew of the Catamaran stood contemplating the gig and its lifeless occupant, with looks that betokened repugnance.
By reason of the many dread scenes they had already passed through, this feeling was the less intense, and gradually wore away. It was neither the time nor the place for any show of sentimentalism. Their own perilous situation was too strongly impressed on their minds to admit of unprofitable speculations; and instead of indulging in idle conjectures about the past, they directed their thoughts to the future.
The first consideration was, what was to be done with the gig?
They would take possession of her, of course. There could be no question about this.