“At day-break the next morning, when the cook’s mate went to the galley to fill the coppers, he found Wo-li hanging from a hook in the ceiling.  The cook’s body was stiff and cold, and had evidently been hanging several hours.  The report of the tragedy quickly spread through the ship, and the three conspirators hurried off to remove the pearl from the dead man’s chest before the officers should come to examine it.  The cheap lock was easily picked with a bent wire, and the jewel abstracted; but now the question arose as to who should take charge of it.  The eagerness to be the actual custodian of the precious bauble, which had been at first displayed, now gave place to equally strong reluctance.  But someone had to take charge of it, and after a long and angry discussion Nilsson was prevailed upon to stow it in his chest.

“A fortnight passed.  The three conspirators went about their duties soberly, like men burdened with some secret anxiety, and in their leisure moments they would sit and talk with bated breath of the apparition at the companion-hatch, and the mysterious death of their late comrade.

“At last the blow fell.

“It was at the end of the second dog-watch that the hands were gathered on the forecastle, preparing to make sail after a spell of bad weather.  Suddenly Nilsson gave a husky shout, and rushed at Parratt, holding out the key of his chest.

“‘Here you, Parratt,’ he exclaimed, ’go below and take that accursed thing out of my chest.’

“‘What for?’ demanded Parratt; and then he and Foucault, who was standing close by, looked aft to see what Nilsson was staring at.

“Instantly they both turned white as ghosts, and fell trembling so that they could hardly stand; for there was the mandarin, standing calmly by the companion, returning with a steady, impassive gaze their looks of horror.  And even as they looked he beckoned and went below.

“‘D’ye hear, Parratt?’ gasped Nilsson; ’take my key and do what I say, or else—­’

“But at this moment the order was given to go aloft and set all plain sail; the three men went off to their respective posts, Nilsson going up the fore-topmast rigging, and the other two to the main-top.  Having finished their work aloft, Foucault and Parratt who were both in the port watch, came down on deck, and then, it being their watch below, they went and turned in.

“When they turned out with their watch at midnight, they looked about for Nilsson, who was in the starboard watch, but he was nowhere to be seen.  Thinking he might have slipped below unobserved, they made no remark, though they were very uneasy about him; but when the starboard watch came on deck at four o’clock, and Nilsson did not appear with his mates, the two men became alarmed, and made inquiries about him.  It was now discovered that no one had seen him since eight o’clock on the previous evening, and, this being reported to the officer of the watch, the latter ordered all hands to be called.  But still Nilsson did not appear.  A thorough search was now instituted, both below and aloft, and as there was still no sign of the missing man, it was concluded that he had fallen overboard.