That whar they both are--skulkin' back in them shadows." He fitted the smoking lantern back onto the shelf to have his hands free for action, and drew a cutlass out of the arm rack, running one leatherly thumb along the blade to test its sharpness.

His eyes sought mine questioningly.
"Probably your guess is the right one," I said soberly.

"We'll give it a trial, and should need no help to handle the two of them." The deck under our feet was fairly steady, the vessel having barely steerage-way, rolling slightly to the heave of the sea.

No sound readied us from above, and the silence of the cabin was profound.
Indeed the stillness irritated me with its mystery, rendered me reckless to penetrate its meaning.

Murder had been committed for a purpose--it was the first step in an effort to retake the ship.