“you sing” conveyed no meaning to anybody; but, after various extraordinary attempts to extend the conversation had entirely failed, it was tacitly agreed that you sing must be his name. whether it was or not, the taciturn pagan answered to it immediately it was uttered, or rather he came instantly to whoever mentioned it. so, seeing that it was hopeless to think of getting any information from him as to the why and wherefore of the strange circumstances under which we had found him, the skipper decided promptly to put him to work as a steward, believing that he would make a good one. to that end he was handed over to me for tuition, much to my delight, for now i felt that i should have a companion who was certainly not more than my equal, and who would not be likely to ill-treat me in any way, as most of the crew did when opportunity arose. his coming was to me a perfect godsend. he was so willing, so docile, and withal so eminently teachable, that it was a pleasure to be64 with him. and the incongruity of being placed under such an urchin as myself did not appear to strike him at all, for he looked upon me from the first day of our acquaintance as the one creature that stood between him and the outer dark—although it must be said that, as far as could be judged by his attitude to all with whom he came in contact, he regarded every member of the ship’s company as in some sort his saviour. all could command him, and he would instantly obey; and although he understood no word of what was said to him, he watched so keenly, his desire to please was so intense, and his natural ability so great, that his efforts to do what was required of him were generally successful. unfortunately, his willingness often got him into serious trouble, since he always obeyed the last order, not being able to discriminate between those who had the first claim upon him and those who had no right to his services whatever. but when he was beaten for neglecting tasks that he had been called away from, he never murmured or showed sign of pain or resentment; all treatment was borne with the same placid equanimity, as if he were a perfectly passionless automaton. with one exception—myself. when with me his usually expressionless eyes would shine, and his yellow face wear a peculiarly sweet smile that had quite a fascination for me. i found myself growing so much attached to him that my rage against his persecutors often drove me nearly frantic—such wrath as it had never occurred to me to feel on my own behalf.

meanwhile the blitzen, sorely hampered by calms and variable winds, crept slowly and painfully towards her destination. i was so much absorbed with the education and company of you sing that i lost all my usual interest in the progress of the vessel, and did not even wonder when we were going to reach our next port—a speculation that had hitherto always had great charms for me. but one morning before breakfast i was dreadfully affrighted to hear a fierce altercation on deck. it had always been my ill-fortune hitherto to find myself the ultimate vicarious sacrifice in all cases of trouble, and even to this day the old feeling of dread still exists—a feeling that whatever row is going on i shall presently be made to suffer for it; and the well-remembered sensation of sinking at the pit of the stomach comes back, making me for the moment quite ill. so, trembling all over, i peered out of the pantry window on to the main deck, and saw the mate confronting three men of his watch, who, with inflamed faces and fierce gestures, were evidently threatening his life. now, there had never before been the slightest sign of insubordination on board, the discipline seeming as near perfection as possible, and therefore this sudden outbreak was most alarming. a swift step passed the pantry door, and instantly i saw the skipper rushing forward. without a word he plunged into the midst of the angry four, and seizing the foremost seaman by the throat and waist hurled him crashing against the bulwarks. at the same moment the mate sprang at another man, as if to serve him in the same manner; but, missing his grasp, he stumbled and fell on his knees. a stifled scream66 burst from my dry lips as i saw the glint of steel; the seaman attacked had drawn his knife, and as the mate fell the weapon descended with fearful force between his shoulders. i heard the ugly sound right aft, and it remains with me to-day. the skipper, however, with the agility of a porpoise, instantly flung himself on the two men, and fought as if he had the sinews of ten.

compared with the noise of the preliminary quarrel, this life-and-death struggle was silence itself; but i could hear the laboured breathings of the combatants coming in hoarse gasps, and the cracking of the joints as the writhing bodies knotted and strained. there was a scream behind me, a rustle of skirts, and out of the cabin rushed the skipper’s wife, with flying hair and outstretched arms. but before she was halfway to the spot there was a swoop as of some huge bird past her, and the second mate, the youngest officer in the ship and the biggest man, alighted in the fray like a hungry tiger. i did not see the other watch of the crew arrive, but they were there, and fighting as fiercely as the rest.

now, the first flush of fear having gone from me, i became interested—somewhat coldly critical, indeed, of the various points of the battle, finding myself, to the wonder of some other corner of my brain, siding with the officers, and hoping they would be victorious. the surprise of this backwater of thought was probably owing to the fact that all the officers had treated me with steady brutality, while the men, though not kind, seldom touched me, although that was probably only lack of opportunity. but with all my keen watching i could not yet forecast the upshot of this awful encounter. the mass of bodies seemed to me inextricably entangled, heaving and writhing like a basket of wounded eels; while all around them, frantically clutching at the labouring body of her husband, and shrieking pitifully, hovered the unhappy wife and mother.

suddenly it dawned upon me that the little elsie was alone, and probably frightened to death; and, though i was never a favourite with even her, it seemed good to go and comfort her if possible. so i turned away from the window, and there behind me was you sing, calmly cleaning the knives, as unmoved by any external occurrence as a piece of machinery. as i unblocked the window he caught my eye, and the peculiarly winsome smile he always wore for me lit up his solemn face. his lips opened, and he murmured softly with an indescribable accent the only two english words i had succeeded in teaching him, “’ullo, tommy.” i could only smile back in return as i hurried off to the skipper’s state-room aft, feeling as if, with the shutting out of that savage sight, a load had been lifted off my brain. a quick revulsion of sympathy thrilled me as i found the pretty child fast asleep in placid unconsciousness of the terrible scene in progress outside. i stood for a minute looking at her with a tenderness i had never before felt towards her, all her childish dislike and funny little ways of showing it, borrowed from her parents, utterly forgotten. then, softly closing the door, i hurried back to the pantry, finding you sing still busily employed.

68

scrambling to the window, i peered forrard again, seeing, to my horror, only a heap of bodies lying still. i stood there as if frozen, trying hard to think, endeavouring to realize the position, but unable to control my disorganized brain. how long i stood staring thus i have no idea; but i was recalled to usefulness again by you sing’s gentle touch upon my back. turning slowly round, i faced him, while he pointed out his finished work and intimated to me in the sign language we always employed that he awaited instructions what to go on with. impatiently i made a great effort to show him that all ordinary work was now at an end, and, pulling him to the window, pointed out the awful heap on the main hatch. he looked, and i believe understood the situation, for he turned again to me and patted my face, pointed first to me and then to himself, as if to intimate that upon us two, me as master and he as servant, the conduct of affairs now rested.

then, taking my courage in both hands, i softly stepped out on deck and approached the scene of conflict, though trembling so violently that i could scarcely go. but when i reached the entwined heap of bodies i did not know what to do, standing helplessly staring at the grim spectacle. a faint groan startled me, and i bent down over the nearest body, which happened to be the skipper’s, hearing him murmur faintly, “wasser, lieber gott! wasser.” hastily motioning to you sing to fetch some water, i tried to drag the skipper into a sitting position; but it was too much for my strength. the effort, however, was apparently69 all that was needed to shake the last faint breath from his body, for, with wide dilated nostrils and open mouth, he gave his final gasp. then all was still, for all were dead.

the whole waist was like the veriest shambles, and the fearful savagery of the fight was manifest in many hideous details that need not be reproduced. suddenly a hope dawned upon me that one man might still be left—the helmsman; and, rushing aft, i bounded up on to the poop, only to find the wheel swinging idly to and fro: there was no one there. then i ran forward, unheeding you sing’s dog-like wistful look after me, and ransacked the forecastle and galley; but both were deserted. we were quite alone.

this tremendous fact broke in upon me with good effect after the strain to which i had recently been subjected, for it braced me up to action. calling upon you sing to help me, i tackled the ghastly heap, tugging and straining at the limp bodies, and getting all gory as they were. the sweat ran down blindingly; i felt my sinews crack with my desperate exertions; but at last all the bodies were separated and laid side by side, the captain’s wife last of that sad row. not a sign of life was to be found in any one of them; and, having at last satisfied myself of this, i dropped upon the crimsoned tarpaulin exhausted, to rack my brains for some reason why this sudden tragedy should have been enacted. gradually the conviction forced itself upon me that the whole horrible outbreak was due to some quarrel over the junk’s cargo; but as that had all been overhauled and stowed away without my70 knowing anything of its nature, it was only a blind guess. something, however, of tremendous importance must have occurred to make a body of men fight with such fury among themselves that not one of them remained alive.

but urgent necessity was laid upon me to be up and doing, the first duty that demanded attention being the disposal of the dead. so i called upon you sing—who, standing near, never seemed to take his eyes off me—and the pair of us triced up one of the bulwark ports and dragged the first of the corpses up to it. then by a sudden impulse i flung off my cap, and, kneeling down on the red deck, said the lord’s prayer and the final collect in the church service—all i could then remember; while my heathen helper stood gravely by making no sign but looking a very well-spring of sympathy. strangely cheered and uplifted, i seized the poor piece of clay, and motioning my helpmate, launched it through the yawning port, listening shudderingly to the dull splash that followed. and so with the rest, until we two stood alone, panting and distressed with our heavy task. a few minutes’ rest, and then, with draw-bucket and broom, we laboured to cleanse away the blood that besmeared so wide a space of the decks. at this work we toiled for a long time, and when at last we gave over, because i was tired out, we had only partially succeeded in removing the fearful evidence of that great fight. by this time i was so far myself as to feel hungry. the feeling of nausea, that had been coming and going like waves over me ever since i first left the cabin, had71 left me, and i ordered you sing to get breakfast. he set about the job immediately, leaving me seated on the damp hatch wondering what would become of us. then suddenly it occurred to me for the first time that the ship was entirely left to herself. there was a faint breeze blowing steadily, all sail being set, and the yards canted a couple of points, for what wind existed was on the quarter. i rose and went aft to the wheel, finding that she came up and fell off about three points, so that she was practically steering herself, and making a fairly average course s.s.e. this was satisfactory so far, because it relieved me of any necessity for immediate action. i knew how to steer, and, as far as my strength went, could handle sails, besides understanding fairly well how a ship was worked; for i had been over two years at sea, and always a deck-boy until this voyage, so that, unless i had been a very idiot, i must know something about sailoring.

everything being so quiet and favourable, i remembered little elsie, and with a sinking heart went down below to break the dreadful news to her. how it was to be done i didn’t know, my stock of german being pitifully scanty, and she, poor child! not knowing one word of english. as i turned the handle of the state-room door i heard her calling, “mutter, wie bist du?” and in spite of my efforts some big tears burst from my eyes. but i went in and stood by her cot, racking my brains for some way of making her understand what had happened. as soon as she saw me she began, as usual, to scold me for being there—where, indeed, i was never allowed to enter—and ordered me with much dignity to go and call her mother.

it would be useless for me to attempt any description of the scene that followed. i could not, do what i would, make her understand what an awful change had taken place since she went to sleep. she at last made up her mind that i must be crazy, and, thoroughly frightened, sprang out of her cot, and rushed into the cabin screaming frantically for “mutter, mutter! vater, vater!” i followed her carefully, puzzled beyond measure to know what to do; but she fled on deck, up the ladder and on to the poop, still calling with all her voice for those who were for ever deaf to her cries.

of course, i dared not pursue her, for fear of adding to her terror; so i waited anxiously until she had explored every vacant corner of the ship, and at last, exhausted with her efforts, she returned slowly to the cabin. then i quietly brought her some food, and begged her to eat a little; but, as i might have expected, that was impossible. however, she was so far quieted that she plied me with questions, which i answered as well as i was able, until i succeeded in making her understand the grim truth. she burst into such a passion of weeping when she comprehended the case that at first i feared for her life; but presently i saw that this outbreak was the best thing that could have happened, for it relieved her poor little brain; and soon, utterly worn out, she went off into a heavy sleep.

then i searched the cabin thoroughly, with the dim idea in my mind of finding some cause for the mutiny in accordance with my suspicions. sure enough, i had been right, for in various hiding-places i came upon such treasures as i had never even dreamed of before—coined gold in boxes, in bags, in bundles: sovereigns, eagles, onzas, and napoleons; jewellery of every variety of make, glittering with precious stones of which i had never heard the name. at last i came upon a crucifix nearly two feet in length, apparently of solid gold, and encrusted with large gems, a marvel of costliness and beauty. i showed it to you sing, who, for the first time in my acquaintance with him, showed signs of horror, and tried hard to induce me to throw the magnificent thing overboard.