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"True, shipht"

"And how should you guess this, Ada one and one, Martin But even so, coh she stand by you--what can she do, or Godby and I for that ainst a whole ship's company crazed wi' panic fear--fear, aye and sh, murder's worse, but for three hearty fellows to disappear and leave no trace--"

"Aye, but was there no trace, Adam?"

"None, shipmate, none!"

"No blood anywhere?"

"Never a spot, shipmate!"

"Why then is there ever a man aboard with a wounded hand, Adam?"

"Not one toand I've turned up the crew on deck twice these last two days--every ar 'em--and I've sharp eyes, Martin But why d'ye ask?"

"Because the man who made aith these three felloounded in the hand, Adam--howbeit that hand was bloody"

"Hand, shipht hand--ha?"

"It was!" I nodded "Thehis chin "A right hand, Martin And where was the mark, d'ye say?"

"Beneath ht his breath and rose up and stood looking down atat his square chin

"Aye--there, Adaht to search--there he lay safe hid and I above hied!" says Adaedcrass fool it was not to ha' guessed it ere this" And now he falls silent and stands very still, only his sinewy fingers pinched and pinched at his chin as he stared blindly down at the floor So now I told hi fears and suspicions, of the eye had watched h the knot-hole and of the reat mis-shapen bundle which had vanished just after the black ship ran foul of us

"Lord!" says Adam at last "So the mystery is resolved! The matter lies plain as a pikestaff Ha, Martin, we've shipped the devil aboard it seems!"

"Who weareth a steel hook, Ada at h, we may find the hand of Providence, I think--"

"How?" says I "Providence, d'ye call it?"

"Aye, Martin--if we do but seek far enough!" Here he turned in answer to a furtive rapping, and opening the door, I heard Godby's voice "Come in, man, come in," says Adam, "here's only Martin"