“Good work! Did he say anything of a man’s being killed on board!”
The girl’s face became grave at once. “No,” she said. “How was he killed? Who was it?”
“A sailor named Petersen. He was stabbed, and came ashore dead.”
“The man has two enormous knives in sheaths fastened to his belt,” she said, turning white. “He uses them in his performances.”
Haynes and Colton looked at each other.
“If he did it, he wasn’t responsible,” Helga went on impetuously. “He’s such a pitiful creature—just like a dog, with his great eyes. I feel as if we had saved a baby. And he is terrified like a baby.”
“At some phantom of the darkness?”
The girl nodded. “Something that he hasn’t even seen. He thinks it came down from the upper air after him as the ship was going to pieces. While the others were being taken off in the breeches-buoy he was crawling down the main ratlines to escape from this thing. Finally his fears drove him overboard.”
“Just as well for him,” said Colton. “If he had stayed he would have been killed in the wreckage with the mate and captain.”
“Dr. Colton thinks the man is insane,” said Haynes. “What is your view, Princess?”