"Master Clemens is sick, sir," he reported, "and desires permission to be taken ashore."
"Let him go, by all means," I replied. "What's amiss?"
"I know not," answered the man, "though it seems of the nature of an ague."
Having had the crew mustered, I repeated Captain Jeremy's orders, and proceeded to read the names of the men who were to remain. There were sixteen of the latter, being five more than the watch on board the Golden Hope, and as I called the names their bearers replied, "Here, sir."
"Gadd--Jonathan Gadd?"
No answer.
"Jonathan Gadd," I repeated; "where is he?"
No one seemed to know.
"Beck, William?"
He, too, was absent, cause unknown.