"Boys," I said, "Mr. Vail and your captain have been murdered. The
murderer must be on the ship--one of ourselves." There was a murmur
at that. "Mr. Singleton, I suggest that these men stay together in a
body, and that no one be allowed to go below until all have been
searched and all weapons taken from them."
Singleton had dropped into a chair, and sat with his face buried in
his hands, his back to the captain's body. He looked up without
moving, and his face was gray.
"All right," he said. "Do as you like. I'm sick."
He looked sick. Burns, who had taken Schwartz's place as second
mate, left the group and came toward me.
"We'd better waken the women," he said. "If you'll tell them,
Leslie, I'll take the crew on deck and keep them there."
Singleton seemed dazed, and when Burns spoke of taking the men on
deck, he got up dizzily.
"I'm going too," he muttered. "I'll go crazy if I stay down here
with that."
The rug had been drawn back to show the crew what had happened.
I drew it reverently over the body again.
After the men had gone, I knocked at Mrs. Turner's door. It was
some time before she roused; when she answered, her voice was
startled.
"What is it?"
"It's Leslie, Mrs. Turner. Will you come to the door?"
"In a moment."
She threw on a dressing-gown, and opened the door.
"What is wrong?"
I told her, as gently as I could. I thought she would faint; but
she pulled herself together and looked past me into the cabin.
"That is--?"
"The captain, Mrs. Turner."
"And Mr. Vail?"
"In his cabin."
"Where is Mr. Turner?"
"In his cabin, asleep."
She looked at me strangely, and, leaving the door, went into her
sister's room, next. I heard Miss Lee's low cry of horror, and
almost immediately the two women came to the doorway.
"Have you seen Mr. Turner?" Miss Lee demanded.
"Just now."
"Has Mrs. Johns been told?"
"Not yet."
She went herself to Mrs. Johns's cabin, and knocked. She got an
immediate answer, and Mrs. Johns, partly dressed, opened the door.
"What's the matter?" she demanded. "The whole crew is tramping
outside my windows. I hope we haven't struck an iceberg."
"Adele, don't faint, please. Something awful has happened."
"Turner! He has killed some one finally!"
"Hush, for Heaven's sake! Wilmer has been murdered, Adele--and the
captain."
Mrs. Johns had less control than the other women. She stood for an
instant, with a sort of horrible grin on her face. Then she went
down on the floor, full length, with a crash. Elsa Lee knelt beside
her and slid a pillow under her head.
"Call the maids, Leslie," she said quietly. "Karen has something for
this sort of thing. Tell her to bring it quickly."