“I guessed ye’d see it that way, cap’n.  I’m willin’ to stand double watches and take the wheel myself, and, with the Dutchman doin’ the same, we’ll manage to get the old packet to port right enough.”

“We’ll go right up,” said Captain Riggs, and I heard them move toward the door.

“Blow out that stinking lantern,” said Riggs.

For an instant I had a wild idea of taking the key and locking them in, and then making terms with the captain, and arguing him out of the conviction that I was in league with Meeker, and offering my services in capturing the others.  But I knew Harris could not be convinced that I was not in whatever plot was afoot, and that I could put no faith in any agreement Captain Riggs might make while the mate was with him.

Besides, I had borne out the mate’s suspicions by being below spying upon them, and the wiser course would be for me to get back to my stateroom and let them find me there.  Then I might be able to discuss the whole affair with them and prove that I was the victim of a plot myself.

As it was, I had lingered at the door too long, and Harris lifted the hook inside and nearly stepped on me as he stumbled into the dark passage.  I crawled out of his path so that when the three of them came out they were between me and the companionway to the upper deck.

“Where’s the cussed key?” whispered Harris.  “I thought I left it in the door.”

“Light a match,” said Riggs, and he began to move his feet along the deck.  “Sure you didn’t put it in your pocket, Mr. Harris?”

“Who’s that?” cried Harris suddenly, and I was sure he had seen me crouching against the bulkhead.  I was about to surrender myself and explain my presence below when I heard the patter of feet and somebody bounded up the ladder and crashed into a ventilator as he gained the deck above.

“Somebody been listening I’ll bet my hat!” said Harris.  “I’ve got the key—­it dropped out.”

He locked the door and they hurried down the passage, Riggs telling Rajah to “go get him,” and then I heard them running forward toward the forecastle as they got on deck.

I ran for the ladder as best I could, glad of the chance to get out of the black hole and wondering who could have been down there with me.  I stepped upon something which slipped from under me, and I went down sprawling, sure that I had gashed my foot, for I had felt a sharp edge as I fell.  I found that my stocking was not cut, and was getting to my feet again when my hand came in contact with the object which had tripped me.

I had stepped upon a large shell crucifix.

CHAPTER IX

A FIGHT IN THE DARK

Dazed for a minute by the discovery that Meeker had been lurking in the passage while I was listening to Captain Riggs and Harris in the storeroom, I leaned against the companionway and fingered the shell crucifix, wondering how near Meeker had come to making an end of me.  Of course, the finding of the crucifix down there, and the man who ran up the ladder when surprised by Riggs, meant nothing else but that Meeker had been below either before or after I followed the ship’s officers down.