I was used to violence, as everyone was then who followed the sea. More than once I had seen men fall from the royal yards to the deck. On the Felicity herself I had seen them spread-eagled in the sun while Captain Murdock stood by and smoked his pipe. I had seen the blood run in half a dozen ports during a night ashore. Nevertheless my brow grew moist in Captain Murdock’s kitchen. There was a premeditated swiftness about it which made me faint and sick, but Murdock’s daughter was cool enough. First she stepped softly over and gave him a little prod with her toe. Then she looked thoughtfully at the clock on the chimney-piece.
Felicity“And now,” she said, “you might as well finish your supper.”
I gave a startled glance at the table.
“Yes,” she said, “I should eat something if I were you.
