She listened with silent horror.
‘They laugh at my assurance that the captain was mad,’ I went on, ‘and they see nothing in his suicide to cause them to doubt that his story is absolutely true.’
‘And what did you tell them?’
‘That I must have time to think, and will give them an answer by noon.’
‘What do you think?’ she demanded, searching my gaze with her proud eyes.
‘I see nothing for it but to undertake to sail the ship to the South Pacific.’
‘Are you mad?’ she almost shrieked. ‘To the South Pacific! Did you not say to them that you will insist upon their stopping the first ship that passes, and putting you and me on board of her?’
‘They are not to be reasoned with,’ I answered gently; ‘the dream of this gold has raised an appetite in them that might easily convert them into wild beasts, if I refuse to help them to satisfy their hunger. They will not suffer communication with any passing vessel; they will not permit me to make for any port. Their proposal is that I shall be captain, and have, with you, the exclusive use of this end of the ship, and they promise me handsome usage. But underlying the terms they desire me to agree to is a menace that I should be blind not to see. I must do what they want, or what that villain Lush has contrived that they shall want, or God alone knows what the issue may be for you as well as for myself.’
She sat viewing me like one paralysed.
‘My intention,’ I went on, ‘is to inform the carpenter at noon that I assent to the wishes of the crew.’