CHAPTER XX.
HAZEL thought her reason was going; and, instead of looking at the men'seyes, it was hers he examined. But no; the sweet cheek was white, theeyes had a fearful hollow all round them, but, out of that cave the lighthazel eye, preternaturally large, but calm as ever, looked out, full offortitude, resignation, and reason.
"Don't look at _me,"_ said she, quietly; "but take an opportunity andlook at _them._ They mean to kill me."
Hazel looked furtively round; and, being enlightened in part by thewoman's intelligence, he observed that some of the men were actuallyglaring at himself and Helen Rolleston in a dreadful way. There was aremarkable change in their eyes since he looked last. The pupils seemeddiminished, the whites enlarged; and, in a word, the characteristics ofhumanity had, somehow, died out of those bloodshot orbs, and the animalalone shone in them now; the wild beast, driven desperate by hunger.
What he saw, coupled with Helen's positive interpretation of it, wastruly sickening.
These men were six, and he but one. They had all clasp-knives; and he hadonly an old penknife that would be sure to double up or break off if ablow were dealt with it.
He asked himself, in utter terror, what on earth he should do.
The first thing seemed to be to join the men and learn their minds. Itmight also be as well to prevent this secret conference from goingfurther.
He went forward boldly, though sick at heart, and said, "Well, my lads,what is it?"
The men were silent directly, and looked sullenly down, avoiding his eye;yet not ashamed.
In a situation so terrible, the senses are sharpened; and Hazeldissected, in his mind, this sinister look, and saw that Morgan, Princeand Mackintosh were hostile to him.
But Welch and Cooper he hoped were still friendly.
"Sir," said Fenner, civilly but doggedly, "we are come to this now, thatone must die, for the others to live. And the greater part of us are forcasting lots all round, and let every man, and every woman too, taketheir chance. That is fair, Sam, isn't it?"
"It is fair," said Cooper, with a terrible doggedness. "But it is hard,"he added.
"Harder that seven should die for one," said Mackintosh. "No, no; onemust die for the seven."
Hazel represented, with all the force language possesses, that what theymeditated was a crime, the fatal result of which was known by experience.
But they heard in ominous silence.
Hazel went back to Helen Rolleston and sat down right before her.
"Well!" said she, with supernatural calmness.
"You were mistaken," said he.
"Then why have you placed yourself between them and me. No, no; theireyes have told me they have singled me out. But what does it matter? Wepoor creatures are all to die; and that one is the happiest that diesfirst, and dies unstained by such a crime. _I heard every word you said,sir."_
Hazel cast a piteous look on her, and, finding he could no longer deceiveher as to their danger, and being weakened by famine, fell to tremblingand crying.
Helen Rolleston looked at him with calm and gentle pity. For a moment,the patient fortitude of a woman made her a brave man's superior.
Night came, and, for the first time, Hazel claimed two portions of therum; one for himself and one for Miss Rolleston.
He then returned aft, and took the helm. He loosened it, so as to beready to unship it in a moment, and use it as a weapon.
The men huddled together forward; and it was easy to see that the boatwas now divided into two hostile camps.
Hazel sat quaking, with his hand on the helm, fearing an attack everymoment.
Both he and Helen listened acutely, and about three o'clock in themorning a new incident occurred, of a terrible nature.
Mackintosh was heard to say, "Serve out the rum, no allowance," and thedemand was instantly complied with by Morgan.
Then Hazel touched Miss Rolleston on the shoulder, and insisted on hertaking half what was left of the marmalade, and he took the other half.The time was gone for economy; what they wanted now was strength, in casethe wild beasts, maddened by drink as well as hunger, should attack them.
Already the liquor had begun to tell, and wild hallos and yells, and evenfragments of ghastly songs, mingled with the groans of misery in thedoomed boat.
At sunrise there was a great swell upon the water, and sharp gusts atintervals; and on the horizon, to windward, might be observed a blackspot in the sky, no bigger than a fly. But none saw that; Hazel's eyenever left the raving wretches in the forepart of the boat; Cooper andWelch sat in gloomy despair amidships; and the others were huddledtogether forward, encouraging each other to a desperate act.
It was about eight o'clock in the morning. Helen Rolleston awoke from abrief doze and said, "Mr. Hazel, I have had a strange dream. I dreamedthere was food, and plenty of it, on the outside of this boat."
While these strange words were yet in her mouth, three of the sailorssuddenly rose up with their knives drawn, and eyes full of murder, andstaggered aft as fast as their enfeebled bodies could.
Hazel uttered a loud cry, "Welch! Cooper! will you see us butchered?"and, unshipping the helm, rose to his feet.
Cooper put out his arm to stop Mackintosh, but was too late. He did stopMorgan, however, and said, "Come, none of that; no foul play!"
Irritated by this unexpected resistance, and maddened by drink, Morganturned on Cooper and stabbed him; he sank down with a groan; on thisWelch gave Morgan a fearful gash, dividing his jugular, and was stabbed,in return, by Prince, but not severely; these two grappled and rolledover one another, stabbing and cursing at the bottom of the boat;meantime, Mackintosh was received by Hazel with a point blank thrust inthe face from the helm that staggered him, though a very powerful man,and drove him backward against the mast; but, in delivering this thrust,Hazel's foot slipped, and he fell with great violence on his head andarm; Mackintosh recovered himself, and sprang upon the stern thwart withhis knife up and gleaming over Helen Rolleston. Hazel writhed round wherehe lay, and struck him desperately on the knee with the helm. The poorwoman knew only how to suffer; she cowered a little, and put up twofeeble hands.
The knife descended.
But not upon that cowering figure.