“Well？”askedMac，foritwashewhostillsurvivedinthatshamblesofacabin。
“It’sdone；they’realldead。”answeredCarthew。
“Christ！”saidtheIrishman，andfainted。
Theginwasfoundinthedeadcaptain’scabin；itwasbroughtondeck，andallhandshadadram，andattackedtheirfarthertask。Thenightwascome，themoonwouldnotbeupforhours；alampwassetonthemainhatchtolightAmaluashewasheddowndecks；andthegalleylanternwastakentoguidetheothersintheirgraveyardbusiness。Holdorsen，Hemstead，Trent，andGoddedaalwerefirstdisposedof，thelaststillbreathingashewentovertheside；Wallenfollowed；andthenWicks，steadiedbythegin，wentaloftwithaboathookandsucceededindislodgingHardy。TheChinamanwastheirlasttask；heseemedtobelight-headed，talkedaloudinhisunknownlanguageastheybroughthimup，anditwasonlywiththesplashofhissinkingbodythatthegibberishceased。
Brown，bycommonconsent，wasleftalone。Fleshandbloodcouldgonofurther。
Allthistimetheyhadbeendrinkingundilutedginlikewater；
threebottlesstoodbroachedindifferentquarters；andnonepassedwithoutagulp。Tommycollapsedagainstthemainmast；Wicksfellonhisfaceonthepoopladderandmovednomore；Amaluhadvanishedunobserved。Carthewwasthelastafoot：hestoodswayingatthebreakofthepoop，andthelantern，whichhestillcarried，swungwithhismovement。Hisheadhummed；itswarmedwithbrokenthoughts；memoryofthatday’sabominationsflaredupanddieddownwithinhimlikethelightofalampinastrongdraught。Andthenhehadadrunkard’sinspiration。
“Theremustbenomoreofthis。”hethought，andstumbledoncemorebelow。
TheabsenceofHoldorsen’sbodybroughthimtoastand。Hestoodandstaredattheemptyfloor，andthenrememberedandsmiled。Fromthecaptain’sroomhetooktheopencasewithonedozenandthreebottlesofgin，putthelanterninside，andwalkedprecariouslyforth。Macwasoncemoreconscious，hiseyeshaggard，hisfacedrawnwithpainandflushedwithfever；
andCarthewrememberedhehadneverbeenseento，hadlaintherehelpless，andwassotolieallnight，injured，perhapsdying。Butitwasnowtoolate；reasonhadnowfledfromthatsilentship。IfCarthewcouldgetondeckagain，itwasasmuchashecouldhope；andcastingontheunfortunateaglanceofpity，thetragicdrunkardshoulderedhiswayupthecompanion，droppedthecaseoverboard，andfellinthescuppershelpless。
Withthefirstcolourintheeast，Carthewawokeandsatup。A
whilehegazedatthescrollofthemorningbankandthesparsandhangingcanvasofthebrig，likeamanwhowakesinastrangebed，withachild’ssimplicityofwonder。Hewonderedaboveallwhatailedhim，whathehadlost，whatdisfavourhadbeendonehim，whichheknewheshouldresent，yethadforgotten。Andthen，likeariverburstingthroughadam，thetruthrolledonhimitsinstantaneousvolume：hismemoryteemedwithspeechandpicturesthatheshouldneveragainforget；andhesprangtohisfeet，stoodamomenthandtobrow，andbegantowalkviolentlytoandfrobythecompanion。Ashewalked，hewrunghishands。“God——God——God。”hekeptsaying，withnothoughtofprayer，utteringamerevoiceofagony。
Thetimemayhavebeenlongorshort，itwasperhapsminutes，perhapsonlyseconds，ereheawoketofindhimselfobserved，andsawthecaptainsittingupandwatchinghimoverthebreakofthepoop，astrangeblindnessasoffeverinhiseyes，ahaggardknotofcorrugationsonhisbrow。Cainsawhimselfinamirror。Foraflashtheylookeduponeachother，andthenglancedguiltilyaside；andCarthewfledfromtheeyeofhisaccomplice，andstoodleaningonthetaffrail。
Anhourwentby，whilethedaycamebrighter，andthesunroseanddrankuptheclouds：anhourofsilenceintheship，anhourofagonybeyondnarrationforthesufferers。Brown’sgabblingprayers，thecriesofthesailorsintherigging，strainsofthedeadHemstead’sminstrelsy，rantogetherinCarthew’smind，withsickeningiteration。Heneitheracquittednorcondemnedhimself：hedidnotthink，hesuffered。Inthebrightwaterintowhichhestared，thepictureschangedandwererepeated：thebaresarkrageofGoddedaal；theblood-redlightofthesunsetintowhichtheyhadrunforth；thefaceofthebabblingChinamanastheycasthimover；thefaceofthecaptain，seenamomentsince，asheawokefromdrunkennessintoremorse。
Andtimepassed，andthesunswamhigher，andhistormentwasnotabated。
Thenwerefulfilledmanysayings，andtheweakestofthesecondemnedbroughtreliefandhealingtotheothers。Amaluthedrudgeawokeliketheresttosicknessofbodyanddistressofmind；butthehabitofobedienceruledinthatsimplespirit，andappalledtobesolate，hewentdirectintothegalley，kindledthefire，andbegantogetbreakfast。Attherattleofdishes，thesnappingofthefire，andthethinsmokethatwentupstraightintotheair，thespellwaslifted。Thecondemnedfeltoncemorethegooddrylandofhabitunderfoot；theytouchedagainthefamiliarguide-ropesofsanity；theywererestoredtoasenseoftheblessedrevolutionandreturnofallthingsearthly。Thecaptaindrewabucketofwaterandbegantobathe。Tommysatup，watchedhimawhile，andslowlyfollowedhisexample；andCarthew，rememberinghislastthoughtsofthenightbefore，hastenedtothecabin。
Macwasawake；perhapshadnotslept。OverhisheadGoddedaal’scanarytwitteredshrillyfromitscage。
“Howareyou？”askedCarthew。
“Mearrum’sbroke。”returnedMac；“butIcanstandthat。It’sthisplaceIcan’tabide。Iwascomingondeckanyway。”
“Staywhereyouare，though。”saidCarthew。“It’sdeadlyhotabove，andthere’snowind。I’llwashoutthis——“andhepaused，seekingawordandnotfindingoneforthegrislyfoulnessofthecabin。
“Faith，I’llbeobligedtoye，then。”repliedtheIrishman。Hespokemildandmeek，likeasickchildwithitsmother。Therewasnownoviolenceintheviolentman；andasCarthewfetchedabucketandswabandthesteward’ssponge，andbegantocleansethefieldofbattle，healternatelywatchedhimorshuthiseyesandsighedlikeamannearfainting。“Ihavetoaskallyourpardons。”hebeganagainpresently，“andthemoreshametomeasIgotyeintotroubleandcouldn’tdonothingwhenitcame。Yesavedmelife，sir；ye’reaclaneshot。”
“ForGod’ssake，don’ttalkofit！”criedCarthew。“Itcan’tbetalkedof；youdon’tknowwhatitwas。Itwasnothingdownhere；theyfought。Ondeck——O，myGod！”AndCarthew，withthebloodyspongepressedtohisface，struggledamomentwithhysteria。
“Kapecool，Mr。Cart’ew。It’sdonenow。”saidMac；“andyemayblessGodye’renotinpainandhelplessinthebargain。”
Therewasnomoresaidbyoneorother，andthecabinwasprettywellcleansedwhenastrokeontheship’sbellsummonedCarthewtobreakfast。Tommyhadbeenbusyinthemeanwhile；hehadhauledthewhaleboatcloseaboard，andalreadyloweredintoitasmallkegofbeefthathefoundreadybroachedbesidethegalleydoor；itwasplainhehadbuttheoneidea——toescape。
“Wehaveashipfulofstorestodrawupon。”hesaid。“Well，whatarewestayingfor？Let’sgetoffatonceforHawaii。I’vebegunpreparingalready。”
“Machashisarmbroken。”observedCarthew；“howwouldhestandthevoyage？”
“Abrokenarm？”repeatedthecaptain。“Thatall？I’llsetitafterbreakfast。Ithoughthewasdeadliketherest。Thatmadmanhitoutlike——“andthere，attheevocationofthebattle，hisvoiceceasedandthetalkdiedwithit。
Afterbreakfast，thethreewhitemenwentdownintothecabin。
“I’vecometosetyourarm。”saidthecaptain。
“Ibegyourpardon，captain。”repliedMac；“butthefirrstthingyegottodoistogetthisshiptosea。We’lltalkofmearrumafterthat。”
“O，there’snosuchbloominghurry。”returnedWicks。
“Whenthenextshipsailsin，ye’lltellmestories！”retortedMac。
“Butthere’snothingsounlikelyintheworld。”objectedCarthew。
“Don’tbedeceivin’yourself。”saidMac。“Ifyewantaship，divilaone’lllooknearyeinsixyear；butifyedon’t，yemaytakemywordforut，we’llhaveasquadronlayin’here。”
“That’swhatIsay。”criedTommy；“that’swhatIcallsense！
Let’sstockthatwhaleboatandbeoff。”
“AndwhatwillCaptainWicksbethinkingofthewhaleboat？”
askedtheIrishman。
“Idon’tthinkofitatall。”saidWicks。“We’veasmart-lookingbrigunderfoot；that’sallthewhaleboatIwant。”
“Excuseme！”criedTommy。“That’schildishtalk。You’vegotabrig，tobesure，andwhatuseisshe？Youdaren’tgoanywhereinher。Whatportareyoutosailfor？”
“FortheportofDavyJones’sLocker，myson。”repliedthecaptain。“Thisbrig’sgoingtobelostatsea。I’lltellyouwhere，too，andthat’saboutfortymilestowindwardofKauai。We’regoingtostaybyhertillshe’sdown；andoncethemastsareunder，she’stheFlyingScudnomore，andweneverheardofsuchabrig；andit’sthecrewoftheschoonerCurrencyLassthatcomesashoreintheboat，andtakesthefirstchancetoSydney。”
“Captaindear，that’sthefirstChristianwordI’veheardofut！”
criedMac。“Andnow，justletmearrumbe，jewel，andgetthebrigoutside。”
“I’masanxiousasyourself，Mac。”returnedWicks；“butthere’snotwindenoughtoswearby。Solet’sseeyourarm，andnomoretalk。”
Thearmwassetandsplinted；thebodyofBrownfetchedfromtheforepeak，whereitlaystillandcold，andcommittedtothewatersofthelagoon；andthewashingofthecabinrudelyfinished。Alltheseweredoneeremidday；anditwaspastthreewhenthefirstcat’s-pawruffledthelagoon，andthewindcameinadrysquall，whichpresentlysoberedtoasteadybreeze。
Theintervalwaspassedbyallinfeverishimpatience，andbyoneofthepartyinsecretandextremeconcernofmind。
CaptainWickswasafore-and-aftsailor；hecouldtakeaschoonerthroughaScotchreel，felthermouthanddivinedhertemperlikeariderwithahorse；she，onherside，recognisinghermasterandfollowinghiswisheslikeadog。Butbyanotveryunusualtrainofcircumstance，theman’sdexteritywaspartialandcircumscribed。Onaschooner’sdeckhewasRembrandtorattheleastMr。Whistler；onboardabrighewasPierreGrassou。Againandagaininthecourseofthemorning，hehadreasonedouthispolicyandrehearsedhisorders；andeverwiththesamedepressionandweariness。Itwasguess-work；itwaschance；theshipmightbehaveasheexpected，andmightnot；supposeshefailedhim，hestoodtherehelpless，beggaredofalltheprovedresourcesofexperience。
Hadnotallhandsbeensoweary，hadhenotfearedtocommunicatehisownmisgivings，hecouldhavetowedherout。
Butthesereasonssufficed，andthemosthecoulddowastotakeallpossibleprecautions。AccordinglyhehadCarthewaft，explainedwhatwastobedonewithanxiouspatience，andvisitedalongwithhimthevarioussheetsandbraces。
“IhopeI’llremember。”saidCarthew。“Itseemsawfullymuddled。”
“It’stherottenestkindofrig。”thecaptainadmitted：“allbloomingpockethandkerchiefs！Andnotonesailor-manondeck！Ah，ifshe’donlybeenabrigantine，now！Butit’sluckythepassageissoplain；there’snomanoeuvringtomention。Wegetunderwaybeforethewind，andrunrightsotillwebegintogetfouloftheisland；thenwehaulourwindandlieasnearsouth-eastasmaybetillwe’reonthatline；’boutshipthereandstandstraightoutontheporttack。Catchtheidea？”
“Yes，Iseetheidea。”repliedCarthew，ratherdismally，andthetwoincompetentsstudiedforalongtimeinsilencethecomplicatedgearabovetheirheads。
Butthetimecamewhentheserehearsalsmustbeputinpractice。Thesailswerelowered，andallhandsheavedtheanchorshort。Thewhaleboatwasthencutadrift，theuppertopsailsandthespankerset，theyardsbracedup，andthespankersheethauledouttostarboard。
“Heaveawayonyouranchor，Mr。Carthew。”
“Anchor’sgone，sir。”
“Setjibs。”
Itwasdone，andthebrigstillhungenchanted。Wicks，hisheadfullofaschooner’smainsail，turnedhismindtothespanker。
Firsthehauledinthesheet，andthenhehauleditout，withnoresult。
“Brailthedamnedthingup！”hebawledatlast，witharedface。
“Thereain’tnosenseinit。”
Itwasthelaststrokeofbewildermentforthepoorcaptain，thathehadnosoonerbrailedupthespankerthanthevesselcamebeforethewind。Thelawsofnatureseemedtohimtobesuspended；hewaslikeamaninaworldofpantomimetricks；
thecauseofanyresult，andtheprobableresultofanyaction，equallyconcealedfromhim。Hewasthemorecarefulnottoshakethenerveofhisamateurassistants。Hestoodtherewithafacelikeatorch；buthegavehisorderswithaplomb；andindeed，nowtheshipwasunderweigh，supposedhisdifficultiesover。