I swiftly hitched it by its laniard to a hook in a stanchion, noticing as I did so that she had completely dressed herself.
‘Remain here for the present, will you?’ I went on. ‘I must go on deck—there is no one to give orders to the men.’
I ran up the steps, and perceived the shadowy shapes of the seamen ascending the shrouds to lay out upon the main yard.
‘Who is that there?’ I called, observing a dark figure standing near the main hatch.
‘Me—Wilkins, sir.’
‘Jump forward, Wilkins,’ I shouted, ‘and call Mr. Lush. Tell him I want him aft—that I’m afraid something serious has happened; in fact, rout up all hands. We shall be having to reef down shortly.’
The fellow sped forwards. It had been no passing gust that had bowed the barque down, but a real increase in the weight of wind; and by this time, knowing fairly well how the gear led, I let go the maintopgallant halliards, and then ran aft to the mizzen topmast staysail halliards, and was dragging with my single pair of hands upon the downhaul, when the carpenter came up to me, followed by the rest of the watch below.
‘What’s gone wrong?’ he said.
‘I believe the captain has shot himself. His cabin door is locked, and we have yet to discover that he has committed suicide. The wind freshens, the ship wants watching, and there is nobody to see to her. Will you take charge? I’ll wait for you in the cabin.’
What expression a light cast upon his countenance might have shown my news produced in it I know not; there was a pause in him, as of sulky astonishment, but he said nothing. He mounted the poop ladder; and I entered the cuddy, catching the sound as I did so of the men on the main yard chorusing as they triced up the bunt of the sail, along with a sudden roar from the carpenter to clew up the main-topgallant-sail and furl it. The candle end burning in the lantern made but a wretched light, as you will suppose. Close beside it, in such radiance as it emitted, stood Miss Temple, white as stone, and her eyes wide and luminous with alarm.