He passed the back of his hand over his brow, following the action with a fling of his fingers from the wrist; and, indeed, it was now to be seen that his face streamed with sweat.
'Do you believe they have murdered the Captain?' cried Helga.
'I dorn't doubt it—I can't doubt it. There seemed two gangs of 'em. Oi run for my life, and yet I see two gangs,' answered Abraham.
'Horrible!' exclaimed the girl, looking at me with fixed eyes, yet she seemed more shocked than frightened.
'Did not I foresee this?' I exclaimed. 'Where were your senses, man—you who lived amongst them, ate and drank with them? It would be bad enough if they were white men; but how stands our case, do you think, in a ship seized by savages who have been made to hate us for our creed and for the colour of our skins?'
'Hark!' cried Helga.
We strained our hearing, but nothing was audible to me saving my heart, that beat loud in my ears.
'I thought I heard the sound of a splash,' she said.
'If they should ha' done for my mate, Jacob!' cried Abraham. 'As the Lord's good, 'twill be too hard. Fust wan, then another, and now nowt but me left of our little company as left Deal but a day or tew ago, as it seems when Oi looks back.'
'Are we to perish here like poisoned rats in a hole?' said I. 'If they clap the hatch-cover on, what's to become of us?'