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been。 His eyes were by no means so sinister as the rest of his
visage； being of a light…gray color and exceedingly
vivaciouseven good…natured in the merry restlessness of their
glancealbeit they were well…nigh hidden beneath a black bush of
overhanging eyebrows。 When he spoke； his voice was so deep and
resonant that it was as though it issued from a barrel rather
than from the breast of a human being。
〃How now； my hearty！〃 cried he； in stentorian tones； so loud that
they seemed to stun the tensely drawn drums of our hero's ears。
〃How now； my hearty！ What's to…do here？ Who is shooting pistols
at this hour of the night？〃 Then； catching sight of the figures
lying in a huddle upon the floor； his great； thick lips parted
into a gape of wonder and his gray eyes rolled in his head like
two balls； so that what with his flat face and the round holes of
his nostrils he presented an appearance which； under other
circumstances； would have been at once ludicrous and grotesque。
〃By the blood！〃 cried he； 〃to be sure it is murder that has
happened here。〃
〃Not murder！〃 cried Jonathan； in a shrill and panting voice。 〃Not
murder！ It was all an accident； and I am as innocent as a baby。〃
The new…comer looked at him and then at the two figures upon the
floor； and then back at him again with eyes at once quizzical and
cunning。 Then his face broke into a grin that might hardly be
called of drollery。 〃Accident！〃 quoth he。 〃By the blood！ d'ye see
'tis a strange accident； indeed； that lays two men by the heels
and lets the third go without a scratch！〃 Delivering himself
thus； he came forward into the room； and； taking the last victim
of Jonathan's adventure by the arm； with as little compunction as
he would have handled a sack of grain he dragged the limp and
helpless figure from where it lay to the floor beside the first
victim。 Then； lifting the lighted candle； he bent over the two
prostrate bodies； holding the illumination close to the
lineaments first of one and then of the other。 He looked at them
very carefully for a long while； with the closest and most intent
scrutiny； and in perfect silence。 〃They are both as dead；〃 says
he； 〃as Davy Jones； and； whoever you be； I protest that you have
done your business the most completest that I ever saw in all of
my life。〃
Indeed；〃 cried Jonathan； in the same shrill and panting voice；
〃it was themselves who did it。 First one of them attacked me and
then the other； and I did but try to keep them from murdering me。
This one fell on his knife； and that one shot himself in his
efforts to destroy me。〃
〃That；〃 says the seaman； 〃you may very well tell to a dry…lander；
and maybe he will believe you； but you cannot so easily pull the
wool over the eyes of Captain Benny Willitts。 And what； if I may
be so bold as for to ask you； was the reason for their attacking
so harmless a man as you proclaim yourself to be？〃
〃That I know not；〃 cried Jonathan； 〃but I am entirely willing to
tell thee all the circumstances。 Thou must know that I am a
member of the Society of Friends。 This day I landed here in
Kingston； and met a young woman of very comely appearance； who
intrusted me with this little ivory ball； which she requested me
to keep for her a few days。 The sight of this ballin which I
can detect nothing that could be likely to arouse any feelings of
violenceappears to have driven these two men entirely mad； so
that they instantly made the most ferocious and murderous assault
upon me。 See！ wouldst thou have believed that so small a thing as
this would have caused so much trouble？〃 And as he spoke he held
up to the gaze of the other the cause of the double tragedy that
had befallen。 But no sooner had Captain Willitts's eyes lighted
upon the ball than the most singular change passed over his
countenance。 The color appeared to grow dull and yellow in his
ruddy cheeks； his fat lips dropped apart； and his eyes stared
with a fixed and glassy glare。 He arose to his feet and； still
with the expression of astonishment and wonder upon his face；
gazed first at our hero and then at the ivory ball in his hands；
as though he were deprived both of reason and of speech。 At last；
as our hero slipped the trifle back in his pocket again； the
mariner slowly recovered himself； though with a prodigious
effort； and drew a deep and profound breath as to the very bottom
of his lungs。 He wiped； with the corner of his black silk cravat；
his brow； upon which the sweat appeared to have gathered。 〃Well；
messmate；〃 says he； at last； with a sudden change of voice； 〃you
have； indeed； had a most wonderful adventure。〃 Then with another
deep breath： 〃Well； by the blood！ I may tell you plainly that I
am no poor hand at the reading of faces。 Well； I think you to be
honest； and I am inclined to believe every word you tell me。 By
the blood！ I am prodigiously sorry for you； and am inclined to
help you out of your scrape。
〃The first thing to do；〃 he continued； 〃is to get rid of these
two dead men； and that is an affair I believe we shall have no
trouble in handling。 One of them we will wrap up in the carpet
here； and t'other we can roll into yonder bed…curtain。 You shall
carry the one and I the other； and； the harbor being at no great
distance； we can easily bring them thither and tumble them
overboard； and no one will be the wiser of what has happened。 For
your own safety； as you may easily see； you can hardly go away
and leave these objects here to be found by the first…comer； and
to arise up in evidence against you。〃
This reasoning； in our hero's present bewildered state； appeared
to him to be so extremely just that he raised not the least
objection to it。 Accordingly； each of the two silent； voiceless
victims of the evening's occurrences were wrapped into a bundle
that from without appeared to be neither portentous nor terrible
in appearance。
Thereupon； Jonathan shouldering the rug containing the little
gentleman in black； and the sea…captain doing the like for the
other； they presently made their way down the stairs through the
darkness； and so out into the street。 Here the sea…captain became
the conductor of the expedition； and leading the way down several
alleys and along certain by…streetsnow and then stopping to
rest； for the burdens were both heavy and clumsy to carrythey
both came out at last to the harbor front； without any one having
questioned them or having appeared to suspect them of anything
wrong。 At the water…side was an open wharf extending a pretty
good distance out into the harbor。 Thither the captain led the
way and Jonathan followed。 So they made their way out along the
wharf or pier； stumbling now and then over loose boards； until
they came at last to where the water was of a sufficient depth
for their purpose。 Here the captain； bending his shoulders； shot
his burden out into the dark； mysterious waters； and Jonathan；
following his example； did the same。 Each body sank with a sullen
and leaden splash into the element where； the casings which
swathed them becoming loosened； the rug and the curtain rose to
the surface and drifted slowly away with the tide。
As Jonathan stood gazing dully at the disappearance of these last
evidences of his two inadvertent murders； he was suddenly and
vehemently aroused by feeling a pair of arms of enormous strength
flung about him from behind。 In their embrace his elbows were
instantly pinned tight to his side； and he stood for a moment
helpless and astounded； while the voice of the sea…captain；
rumbling in his very ear； exclaimed： 〃Ye bloody； murthering
Quaker； I'll have that ivory ball； or I'll have your life！〃
These words produced the same effect upon Jonathan as though a
douche of cold water had suddenly been flung over him。 He began
instantly to struggle to free himself； and that with a frantic
and vehement violence begotten at once of terror and despair。 So
prodigious were his efforts that more than once he had nearly
torn himself free； but still the powerful arms of his captor held
him as in a vise of iron。 Meantime； our hero's assailant made
frequent though ineffectual attempts to thrust a hand into the
breeches…p