They could see Van Roos twisting his head ceaselessly and vainly to escape that blinding light.

His ruddy face became swollen like the features of a drowned man.

And that was all that happened--only that, and the panting, the quick, choppy panting like a running man.

Finally one of the sailors rose with a mallet in his hand.
"Where you goin' ?" asked Hall ominously.
"Going to finish him." Hall caught the fellow's arm.
"Listen!" he whispered, and such was the silence that the hoarse whisper was audible all over the deck.

"Don't you hear ?" And with one hand he kept beat for the quick breaths of the tortured man.