At this convincing picture, fear took hold on all.

“Hadn’t we a hundred times better stay by the brig?” cried Carthew.  “They would give us a hand to float her off.”

“You’ll make me waste this holy day in chattering!” cried Wicks.  “Look here, when I sounded the well this morning, there was two foot of water there against eight inches last night.  What’s wrong?  I don’t know; might be nothing; might be the worst kind of smash.  And then, there we are in for a thousand miles in an open boat, if that’s your taste!”

“But it may be nothing, and anyway their carpenters are bound to help us repair her,” argued Carthew.

“Moses Murphy!” cried the captain.  “How did she strike?  Bows on, I believe.  And she’s down by the head now.  If any carpenter comes tinkering here, where’ll he go first?  Down in the forepeak, I suppose!  And then, how about all that blood among the chandlery?  You would think you were a lot of members of Parliament discussing Plimsoll; and you’re just a pack of murderers with the halter round your neck.  Any other ass got any time to waste?  No?  Thank God for that!  Now, all hands!  I’m going below, and I leave you here on deck.  You get the boat cover off that boat; then you turn to and open the specie chest.  There are five of us; get five chests, and divide the specie equal among the five—­put it at the bottom—­and go at it like tigers.  Get blankets, or canvas, or clothes, so it won’t rattle.  It’ll make five pretty heavy chests, but we can’t help that.  You, Carthew—­dash me!—­You, Mr. Goddedaal, come below.  We’ve our share before us.”

And he cast another glance at the smoke, and hurried below with Carthew at his heels.

The logs were found in the main cabin behind the canary’s cage; two of them, one kept by Trent, one by Goddedaal.  Wicks looked first at one, then at the other, and his lip stuck out.

“Can you forge hand of write?” he asked.

“No,” said Carthew.

“There’s luck for you—­no more can I!” cried the captain.  “Hullo! here’s worse yet, here’s this Goddedaal up to date; he must have filled it in before supper.  See for yourself:  ’Smoke observed.—­Captain Kirkup and five hands of the schooner Currency Lass.’  Ah! this is better,” he added, turning to the other log.  “The old man ain’t written anything for a clear fortnight.  We’ll dispose of your log altogether, Mr. Goddedaal, and stick to the old man’s—­to mine, I mean; only I ain’t going to write it up, for reasons of my own.  You are.  You’re going to sit down right here and fill it in the way I tell you.”

“How to explain the loss of mine?” asked Carthew.

“You never kept one,” replied the captain.  “Gross neglect of duty.  You’ll catch it.”

“And the change of writing?” resumed Carthew.  “You began; why do you stop and why do I come in?  And you’ll have to sign anyway.”

“O!  I’ve met with an accident and can’t write,” replied Wicks.