“Had the man enemies.  Anyone you would suspect?”

“Enemies?  Ay, plenty of them; we all have.  We expect that in our trade.  This ship is full of devils ready enough to do such a job; but I could not name the one who did do it.  I know of no cause.  I have heard nothing.”

“I believe you, LeVere,” I said, when his voice ceased, yet unwilling even then to trust him fully.  “All that rules here is strength.  Murder is but a weapon, and hate struck this blow.”

“What can we do, Senor?”

“Do! we must talk that over first.  Open the port there and let in some fresh air.  That is better; but we cannot think, looking at that ghastly face, and hearing the blood drip onto the deck.  We’ll leave him here and talk over the affair in the cabin.”

“But the men will think it strange,” he protested, “if I do not return to the deck; some may know what lies here.”

“We cannot help that, LeVere.  We cannot meet this thing until we are prepared; until we talk it over, and decide what to do.  It is not the men on deck, the watch, I fear, but those fellows amidships—­they are the ones to be afraid of; is that not so?”

“Si, Senor.”

“Then come; there is more danger in hasty action than anything else.”

I shut the door behind us, and turned the key.  It was a relief to get outside, even into that dismal cabin, beyond view of Estada’s dead face.  The vessel rolled considerably, and LeVere, who had evidently lost his nerve, sank into a chair as though no strength remained in him.

“You fear an uprising, a mutiny?” I questioned, “when this is reported?”

“What will prevent?” he asked.  “The Captain cannot stir; the mate dead; the men already crazed because we take no prizes.  They will murder us also, and take control.”

“Who will?  Those devils amidships?”

“Ay; they care only to fight for gold—­it is their trade.”

“And who leads them?  Who would they make captain?”

“Manuel Estevan,” he whispered, “he would be the one.”

“I thought as much.  Then it is Manuel Estevan we must secure first—­before they know.  ’Tis my thought he is at the bottom of it all, and our hope lies in our early discovery.  If we can act before he does, we may thwart his plan.  Listen, LeVere; I will speak low for that forward stateroom is his.  He has not supposed we would discover the murder so quickly, for he knew nothing of Estada’s request that he be called at daylight—­is this true?”

“Si, Senor; it was his last order when he went below.”

“Good; then we must organize before he can act.  We have that one chance left.  Whatever his men may know of what has occurred they will make no move until they get his orders.  We must stop the possibility of his issuing any.  Without a leader, the advantage is ours.”

“You mean to kill him?”

“Only as a last resort.  I am no murderer, although there is enough at stake here to make me willing to take life.  There is no good feeling between those quartered amidships, and the crew?”