My own life hung in the balance--nay, rather, my doom was already sealed.

There, seemingly was but one chance for escape left--that was to drop silently overboard, amid the confusion of getting under way, and make the desperate attempt to reach shore unseen before the crew could lift anchor, and set sail.

This possibility came to me, yet I continued to cling there, dazed and helpless, staring dully down, lacking both physical and mental energy to put the wild scheme into execution.

God, no! that would be the craven act of a coward.

Better far to stay, and kill, or even be killed, than to be forever cursed by my own conscience.