"D'you know anything about this?" Mister Mullin demanded.
Joel shook his head.
"Does anyone know anything about it?" the third mate cried swinging the light beam in a flashing arc.
No one answered.
Captain Goplerud said, "It's no use. They're tight-mouthed as clams."
Mullin cursed, then he said, "Get this man to the hospital."
Walt Eriss was bundled onto a stretcher. The guards moved off. The doctor, Mullin, and Captain Goplerud disappeared with the lights.
Darkness settled once more over the fo'cs'le.
For a moment there was silence. Then a prisoner asked, "What happened?"
A babble of voices answered. Somebody said, "The first I heard was Eriss beating on the door to the guardroom. When it was opened he fainted and they carried him in here."