"Captain Sharkey," said Copley Banks, "do you remember the _Duchess of
Cornwall_, hailing from London, which you took and sank three years ago
off the Statira Shoal?"
"Curse me if I can bear their names in mind," said Sharkey. "We did as
many as ten ships a week about that time."
"There were a mother and two sons among the passengers. Maybe that will
bring it back to your mind."
Captain Sharkey leant back in thought, with his huge thin beak of a nose
jutting upwards. Then he burst suddenly into a high treble, neighing
laugh. He remembered it, he said, and he added details to prove it.
"But burn me if it had not slipped from my mind!" he cried. "How came
you to think of it?"
"It was of interest to me," said Copley Banks, "for the woman was my
wife, and the lads were my only sons."
Sharkey stared across at his companion, and saw that the smouldering
fire which lurked always in his eyes had burned up into a lurid flame.
He read their menace, and he clapped his hands to his empty belt.
Then he turned to seize a weapon, but the bight of a rope was cast round
him, and in an instant his arms were bound to his side. He fought like
a wild cat, and screamed for help. "Ned!" he yelled. "Ned! Wake up!
Here's damned villainy! Help, Ned!--help!"
But the three men were far too deeply sunk in their swinish sleep for
any voice to wake them.
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