touched my forehead like a tongue of flame. A dark figure dashed along
the deck toward the forecastle, and brushing the blood from my eyes I
started in pursuit.

At the head of the companion-stairs I collided heavily with Newmarch,
who had just rushed up from the cabin, and the force of the shock nearly
threw him off his feet.

"Confound it!" he cried. "What's the matter with you?"

"One of the Kanakas nearly cut my eye out!" I roared. "He flung a knife
at me and ducked for the f'c'stle."

I left him standing in angry astonishment and rushed forward. I stood at
the top of the ladder and listened. The only noises that came up were
the shrill snores of the islanders, but the blood that streamed down my
face made me forget prudence, and I scrambled down into the stuffy
quarters, where the odour of natives was overwhelming.

A swinging lamp dimly illuminated the place, and I snatched it from its
hook and swung it over the face of the naked occupant of the first bunk.
A glance convinced me that his sleep was genuine. His mouth was wide
open as he snored, and the native who feigns sleep hasn't enough sense
to make his imitation more real by opening his mouth.

The man in the next bunk, a muscular Kanaka, had his face turned away
from me, and in spite of his prolonged snore my suspicions were aroused.
I thrust my hand beneath the single blanket that covered him, and was
immediately convinced that I had discovered the culprit. The blanket was
cold.