'They're not dead,' she cried, 'they're not dead!'
'Who aren't dead?' asked her husband desperately. And remembering something which had been told him years before, he took her hands and slapped with such severity that she screamed and then cried, and finally put her head upon his shoulder and confessed.
'Was it mutiny of me to do it?' she asked penitently.
Will Ryder tried to look severe, and then laughed until he cried. 'Whatever made you think of it?'
'It wasn't a what, it was a who,' said his wife; 'it was Silas Bagge.'
'The devil it was,' said Will, and with that he went on deck.
'Call all hands, and let them muster aft,' he said to M'Gill, who, much wondering, did what he was told. The watch on deck dropped their jobs, and the watch below turned out.
'Call the names over,' said Ryder sternly.
'They're all here, sir,' said M'Gill.
The skipper looked down at the upturned faces of the men and singled out Silas Bagge as if he meant to speak to him. But he checked himself, and going down on the main deck, walked for'ard to the fo'c'sle. The men turned to look after him, and there was a grin on every face which would have been ample for two. Ryder walked quickly, and pushing aside the canvas door he came on a party playing poker. He heard strange voices.