head.

"Down with him!" "Strike him down!" "Hang him at the main-yard!" such
were the shouts now raised. But he stood unmoved, and, for a single
instant, they absolutely faltered.

"Cowards!" cried Salem, and he flung himself upon him. The steel
descended like a ray of light; but did no harm; for the sailor's
heart was beating against the Mowree's before he was aware.

They both fell to the deck, when the knife was instantly seized, and
Bembo secured.

"For'ard! for'ard with him!" was again the cry; "give him a sea-toss!"
"Overboard with him!" and he was dragged along the deck, struggling
and fighting with tooth and nail.

All this uproar immediately over the mate's head at last roused him
from his drunken nap, and he came staggering on deck.

"What's this?" he shouted, running right in among them.

"It's the Mowree, zur; they are going to murder him, zur," here sobbed
poor Rope Yarn, crawling close up to him.

"Avast! avast!" roared Jermin, making a spring toward Bembo, and
dashing two or three of the sailors aside. At this moment the wretch
was partly flung over the bulwarks, which shook with his frantic
struggles. In vain the doctor and others tried to save him: the men
listened to nothing.