Whenavesselistobelaid-to，herheadisbroughtuptothewindjustsonearlyastofillthesailunderwhichshelieswhenhauledflataft，thatis，whenbroughtdiagonallyacrossthevessel。
　　Thisbeingdone，thebowspointwithinafewdegreesofthedirectionfromwhichthewindissues，andthewindwardbowofcoursereceivestheshockofthewaves。Inthissituationagoodvesselwillrideoutaveryheavygaleofwindwithoutshippingadropofwater，andwithoutanyfurtherattentionbeingrequisiteonthepartofthecrew。Thehelmisusuallylasheddown，butthisisaltogetherunnecessaryexceptonaccountofthenoiseitmakeswhenloose，fortherudderhasnoeffectuponthevesselwhenlying-to。Indeed，thehelmhadfarbetterbeleftloosethanlashedveryfast，fortherudderisapttobetornoffbyheavyseasiftherebenoroomforthehelmtoplay。Aslongasthesailholds，awellmodelledvesselwillmaintainhersituation，andrideeverysea，asifinstinctwithlifeandreason。Iftheviolenceofthewind，however，shouldtearthesailintopiecesafeatwhichitrequiresaperfecthurricanetoaccomplishunderordinarycircumstances，thereisthenimminentdanger。Thevesselfallsofffromthewind，and，comingbroadsidetothesea，iscompletelyatitsmercy：theonlyresourceinthiscaseistoputherquietlybeforethewind，lettingherscuduntilsomeothersailcanbeset。Somevesselswilllie-toundernosailwhatever，butsucharenottobetrustedatsea。
　　Buttoreturnfromthisdigression。Ithadneverbeencustomarywiththematetohaveanywatchondeckwhenlying-toinagaleofwind，andthefactthathehadnowone，coupledwiththecircumstanceofthemissingaxesandhandspikes，fullyconvincedusthatthecrewweretoowellonthewatchtobetakenbysurpriseinthemannerPetershadsuggested。Something，however，wastobedone，andthatwithaslittledelayaspracticable，fortherecouldbenodoubtthatasuspicionhavingbeenonceentertainedagainstPeters，hewouldbesacrificedupontheearliestoccasion，andonewouldcertainlybeeitherfoundormadeuponthebreakingofthegale。
　　AugustusnowsuggestedthatifPeterscouldcontrivetoremove，underanypretext，thepieceofchain-cablewhichlayoverthetrapinthestateroom，wemightpossiblybeabletocomeuponthemunawaresbymeansofthehold；butalittlereflectionconvincedusthatthevesselrolledandpitchedtooviolentlyforanyattemptofthatnature。
　　BygoodfortuneIatlengthhitupontheideaofworkinguponthesuperstitiousterrorsandguiltyconscienceofthemate。Itwillberememberedthatoneofthecrew，HartmanRogers，haddiedduringthemorning，havingbeenattackedtwodaysbeforewithspasmsafterdrinkingsomespiritsandwater。Petershadexpressedtoushisopinionthatthismanhadbeenpoisonedbythemate，andforthisbeliefhehadreasons，sohesaid，whichwereincontrovertible，butwhichhecouldnotbepre。vailedupontoexplaintous-thiswaywardrefusalbeingonlyinkeepingwithotherpointsofhissingularcharacter。Butwhetherornothehadanybettergroundsforsuspectingthematethanwehadourselves，wewereeasilyledtofallinwithhissuspicion，anddeterminedtoactaccordingly。
　　Rogershaddiedaboutelevenintheforenoon，inviolentconvulsions；andthecorpsepresentedinafewminutesafterdeathoneofthemosthorridandloathsomespectaclesIeverremembertohaveseen。Thestomachwasswollenimmensely，likethatofamanwhohasbeendrownedandlainunderwaterformanyweeks。Thehandswereinthesamecondition，whilethefacewasshrunken，shrivelled，andofachalkywhiteness，exceptwhererelievedbytwoorthreeglaringredblotcheslikethoseoccasionedbytheerysipelas：oneoftheseblotchesextendeddiagonallyacrosstheface，completelycoveringupaneyeasifwithabandofredvelvet。Inthisdisgustingconditionthebodyhadbeenbroughtupfromthecabinatnoontobethrownoverboard，whenthemategettingaglimpseofitforhenowsawitforthefirsttime，andbeingeithertouchedwithremorseforhiscrimeorstruckwithterroratsohorribleasight，orderedthementosewthebodyupinitshammock，andallowittheusualritesofsea-burial。Havinggiventhesedirections，hewentbelow，asiftoavoidanyfurthersightofhisvictim。Whilepreparationsweremakingtoobeyhisorders，thegalecameonwithgreatfury，andthedesignwasabandonedforthepresent。Thecorpse，lefttoitself，waswashedintothelarboardscuppers，whereitstilllayatthetimeofwhichI
　　speak，flounderingaboutwiththefuriouslurchesofthebrig。
　　Havingarrangedourplan，wesetaboutputtingitinexecutionasspeedilyaspossible。Peterswentupondeck，and，ashehadanticipated，wasimmediatelyaccostedbyAllen，whoappearedtobestationedmoreasawatchupontheforecastlethanforanyotherpurpose。Thefateofthisvillain，however，wasspeedilyandsilentlydecided；forPeters，approachinghiminacarelessmanner，asifabouttoaddresshim，seizedhimbythethroat，and，beforehecouldutterasinglecry，tossedhimoverthebulwarks。Hethencalledtous，andwecameup。Ourfirstprecautionwastolookaboutforsomethingwithwhichtoarmourselves，andindoingthiswehadtoproceedwithgreatcare，foritwasimpossibletostandondeckaninstantwithoutholdingfast，andviolentseasbrokeoverthevesselateveryplungeforward。Itwasindispensable，too，thatweshouldbequickinouroperations，foreveryminuteweexpectedthematetobeuptosetthepumpsgoing，asitwasevidentthebrigmustbetakinginwaterveryfast。Aftersearchingaboutforsometime，wecouldfindnothingmorefitforourpurposethanthetwopump-handles，oneofwhichAugustustook，andItheother。Havingsecuredthese，westrippedofftheshirtofthecorpseanddroppedthebodyoverboard。
　　Petersandmyselfthenwentbelow，leavingAugustustowatchupondeck，wherehetookhisstationjustwhereAllenhadbeenplaced，andwithhisbacktothecabincompanionway，sothat，ifanyofthematesgangshouldcomeup，hemightsupposeitwasthewatch。
　　AssoonasIgotbelowIcommenceddisguisingmyselfsoastorepresentthecorpseofRogers。Theshirtwhichwehadtakenfromthebodyaidedusverymuch，foritwasofsingularformandcharacter，andeasilyrecognizable-akindofsmock，whichthedeceasedworeoverhisotherclothing。Itwasabluestockinett，withlargewhitestripesrunningacross。Havingputthison，Iproceededtoequipmyselfwithafalsestomach，inimitationofthehorribledeformityoftheswollencorpse。Thiswassooneffectedbymeansofstuffingwithsomebedclothes。Ithengavethesameappearancetomyhandsbydrawingonapairofwhitewoollenmittens，andfillingtheminwithanykindofragsthatofferedthemselves。Petersthenarrangedmyface，firstrubbingitwelloverwithwhitechalk，andafterwardblotchingitwithblood，whichhetookfromacutinhisfinger。Thestreakacrosstheeyewasnotforgottenandpresentedamostshockingappearance。
　　yselfinafragmentoflooking-glasswhichhungupinthecabin，andbythedimlightofakindofbattle-lantern，Iwassoimpressedwithasenseofvagueaweatmyappearance，andattherecollectionoftheterrificrealitywhichIwasthusrepresenting，thatIwasseizedwithaviolenttremour，andcouldscarcelysummonresolutiontogoonwithmypart。Itwasnecessary，however，toactwithdecision，andPetersandmyselfwentupondeck。
　　Wetherefoundeverythingsafe，and，keepingclosetothebulwarks，thethreeofuscrepttothecabincompanion-way。Itwasonlypartiallyclosed，precautionshavingbeentakentopreventitsbeingsuddenlypushedtofromwithout，bymeansofplacingbilletsofwoodontheupperstepsoastointerferewiththeshutting。Wefoundnodifficultyingettingafullviewoftheinteriorofthecabinthroughthecrackswherethehingeswereplaced。Itnowprovedtohavebeenveryfortunateforusthatwehadnotattemptedtotakethembysurprise，fortheywereevidentlyonthealert。Onlyonewasasleep，andhelyingjustatthefootofthecompanion-ladder，withamusketbyhisside。Therestwereseatedonseveralmattresses，whichhadbeentakenfromtheberthsandthrownonthefloor。Theywereengagedinearnestconversation；andalthoughtheyhadbeencarousing，asappearedfromtwoemptyjugs，withsometintumblerswhichlayabout，theywerenotasmuchintoxicatedasusual。Allhadknives，oneortwoofthempistols，andagreatmanymusketswerelyinginaberthcloseathand。
　　Welistenedtotheirconversationforsometimebeforewecouldmakeupourmindshowtoact，havingasyetresolvedonnothingdeterminate，exceptthatwewouldattempttoparalyzetheirexertions，whenweshouldattackthem，bymeansoftheapparitionofRogers。Theywerediscussingtheirpiraticalplans，inwhichallwecouldheardistinctlywas，thattheywouldunitewiththecrewofaschooner_Hornet_，and，ifpossible，gettheschoonerherselfintotheirpossessionpreparatorytosomeattemptonalargescale，theparticularsofwhichcouldnotbemadeoutbyeitherofus。
　　OneofthemenspokeofPeters，whenthematerepliedtohiminalowvoicewhichcouldnotbedistinguished，andafterwardaddedmoreloudly，that“hecouldnotunderstandhisbeingsomuchforwardwiththecaptain’sbratintheforecastle，andhethoughtthesoonerbothofthemwereoverboardthebetter。”Tothisnoanswerwasmade，butwecouldeasilyperceivethatthehintwaswellreceivedbythewholeparty，andmoreparticularlybyJones。AtthisperiodIwasexcessivelyagitated，themoresoasIcouldseethatneitherAugustusnorPeterscoulddeterminehowtoact。Imadeupmymind，however，tosellmylifeasdearlyaspossible，andnottosuffermyselftobeovercomebyanyfeelingsoftrepidation。
　　Thetremendousnoisemadebytheroaringofthewindintherigging，andthewashingoftheseaoverthedeck，preventedusfromhearingwhatwassaid，exceptduringmomentarylulls。Inoneofthese，wealldistinctlyheardthematetelloneofthemento“goforward，haveaneyeuponthem，forhewantednosuchsecretdoingsonboardthebrig。”Itwaswellforusthatthepitchingofthevesselatthismomentwassoviolentastopreventthisorderfrombeingcarriedintoinstantexecution。Thecookgotupfromhismattresstogoforus，whenatremendouslurch，whichIthoughtwouldcarryawaythemasts，threwhimheadlongagainstoneofthelarboardstateroomdoors，burstingitopen，andcreatingagooddealofotherconfusion。Luckily，neitherofourpartywasthrownfromhisposition，andwehadtimetomakeaprecipitateretreattotheforecastle，andarrangeahurriedplanofactionbeforethemessengermadehisappearance，orratherbeforeheputhisheadoutofthecompanion-hatch，forhedidnotcomeondeck。FromthisstationhecouldnotnoticetheabsenceofAllen，andheaccordinglybawledout，asiftohim，repeatingtheordersofthemate。Peterscriedout，“Ay，ay。”inadisguisedvoice，andthecookimmediatelywentbelow，withoutentertainingasuspicionthatallwasnotright。
　　Mytwocompanionsnowproceededboldlyaftanddownintothecabin，Petersclosingthedoorafterhiminthesamemannerhehadfoundit。Thematereceivedthemwithfeignedcordiality，andtoldAugustusthat，sincehehadbehavedhimselfsowelloflate，hemighttakeuphisquartersinthecabinandbeoneofthemforthefuture。
　　Hethenpouredhimoutatumblerhalffullofrum，andmadehimdrinkit。AllthisIsawandheard，forIfollowedmyfriendstothecabinassoonasthedoorwasshut，andtookupmyoldpointofobservation。Ihadbroughtwithmethetwopump-handles，oneofwhichIsecurednearthecompanion-way，tobereadyforusewhenrequired。
　　Inowsteadiedmyselfaswellaspossiblesoastohaveagoodviewofallthatwaspassingwithin，andendeavouredtonervemyselftothetaskofdescendingamongthemutineerswhenPetersshouldmakeasignaltome，asagreedupon。Presentlyhecontrivedtoturntheconversationuponthebloodydeedsofthemutiny，andbydegreesledthementotalkofthethousandsuperstitionswhicharesouniversallycurrentamongseamen。Icouldnotmakeoutallthatwassaid，butIcouldplainlyseetheeffectsoftheconversationinthecountenancesofthosepresent。Thematewasevidentlymuchagitated，andpresently，whensomeonementionedtheterrificappearanceofRogers’corpse，Ithoughthewasuponthepointofswooning。Petersnowaskedhimifhedidnotthinkitwouldbebettertohavethebodythrownoverboardatonceasitwastoohorribleasighttoseeitflounderingaboutinthescuppers。Atthisthevillainabsolutelygaspedforbreath，andturnedhisheadslowlyrounduponhiscompanions，asifimploringsomeonetogoupandperformthetask。
　　Noone，however，stirred，anditwasquiteevidentthatthewholepartywerewounduptothehighestpitchofnervousexcitement。
　　Petersnowmademethesignal。Iimmediatelythrewopenthedoorofthecompanion-way，and，descending，withoututteringasyllable，stooderectinthemidstoftheparty。