David gazed down at the white deck of the Sea Witch.
Just then the fourth officer of the Roanoke brushed past David. He was bare-headed, his coat was torn, and there was blood on his face. He addressed the captain, as if short of breath:
"If you please, sir, two of those insane steerage passengers we are deporting have broken out, and are running amuck below. The rest of the people are scared clean off their heads, and I want more help to handle 'em."
The discipline which had become an instinct with Captain Thrasher caused him to grasp at whatever assistance was nearest to save every second of time he could. He saw David at his elbow, and snapped at him:
"Down you go! Jump! I'll send more help in a minute or two."
David cast one glance at the deck of the Sea Witch. Margaret had never looked so dear to him as now, when she was almost within speaking distance. The pleading disappointment in David's face was not unobserved by Captain Thrasher, but his grim features were unmoved as he repeated, more sharply:
"Don't stand like a dummy! Below with you!"
A sweet, shrill hail came from the quarter-deck of the Sea Witch, "Oh, David, ahoy!"
David heard it, but he did not turn to look over the side. The doctrine of duty had never been so hard to swallow, but with his jaw set hard and his fists shut tight he ran after the fourth officer. A bedlam of noises came from the steerage quarters, groans and shrieks and prayers. Re-enforced by two more seamen, the officer and David charged into the uproar. Three stewards and a quartermaster had pinned the insane foreigners in a corner, and were trying to put strait-jackets on them. It was a difficult task, even with more help, and the panic of the other Hungarians, Russians, and Poles had grown to the size of a riot. David pitched in with the momentum of a centre-rush, and after several sharp tussles looked around him to find that his doughty comrades had done their duty well. His impulse was to rush on deck for a sight of the Sea Witch, but his duty was to await orders.
"Stand guard over these poor lunatics till you are relieved," grunted the fourth officer.