"You know that is a lie," Vail was saying. "She is faithful to you,
as far as I know, although I'm damned if I know why." He turned to
the mate roughly: "Better get out in the air."
Once again I left my window to avoid discovery. The mate, walking
slowly, made his way up the companionway to the rail. The man at
the wheel reported in the forecastle, when he came down at the end
of his watch, that Singleton had seemed dazed, and had stood leaning
against the rail for some time, occasionally cursing to himself;
that the second mate had come on deck, and had sent him to bed; and
that the captain was shut in his cabin with the light going.
There was much discussion of the incident among the crew. Sympathy
was with the captain, and there was a general feeling that the end
had not come. Charlie Jones, reading his Bible on the edge of his
bunk, voiced the general belief.
"Knowin' the Turners, hull and mast," he said, "and having sailed
with Captain Richardson off and on for ten years, the chances is
good of our having a hell of a time. It ain't natural, anyhow,
this voyage with no rats in the hold, and all the insects killed
with this here formaldehyde, and ice-cream sent to the fo'c'sle
on Sundays!"
But at first the thing seemed smoothed over. It is true that the
captain did not speak to the first mate except when compelled to,
and that Turner and the captain ignored each other elaborately.
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