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to swim away beyond my kenmysterious as he came。 But； for the moment；
this being appearing as if he had risen from the bottom of the sea
（it was certainly the nearest land to the ship） wanted only to know the time。
I told him。 And he； down there； tentatively：
〃I suppose your captain's turned in？〃
〃I am sure he isn't；〃 I said。
He seemed to struggle with himself； for I heard something
like the low； bitter murmur of doubt。 〃What's the good？〃
His next words came out with a hesitating effort。
〃Look here； my man。 Could you call him out quietly？〃
I thought the time Had come to declare myself。
〃I am the captain。〃
I heard a 〃By Jove！〃 whispered at the level of the water。
The phosphorescence flashed in the swirl of the water all
about his limbs； his other hand seized the ladder。
〃My name's Leggatt。〃
The voice was calm and resolute。 A good voice。 The self…possession
of that man had somehow induced a corresponding state in myself。
It was very quietly that I remarked：
〃You must be a good swimmer。〃
〃Yes。 I've been in the water practically since nine o'clock。
The question for me now is whether I am to let go this ladder
and go on swimming till I sink from exhaustion； orto come
on board here。〃
I felt this was no mere formula of desperate speech；
but a real alternative in the view of a strong soul。
I should have gathered from this that he was young； indeed； it is
only the young who are ever confronted by such clear issues。
But at the time it was pure intuition on my part。
A mysterious communication was established already between
us twoin the face of that silent； darkened tropical sea。
I was young； too； young enough to make no comment。
The man in the water began suddenly to climb up the ladder；
and I hastened away from the rail to fetch some clothes。
Before entering the cabin I stood still； listening in the lobby at
the foot of the stairs。 A faint snore came through the closed door
of the chief mate's room。 The second mate's door was on the hook；
but the darkness in there was absolutely soundless。 He； too；
was young and could sleep like a stone。 Remained the steward；
but he was not likely to wake up before he was called。
I got a sleeping suit out of my room and； coming back on deck；
saw the naked man from the sea sitting on the main hatch；
glimmering white in the darkness； his elbows on his knees and his
head in his hands。 In a moment he had concealed his damp body
in a sleeping suit of the same gray…stripe pattern as the one
I was wearing and followed me like my double on the poop。
Together we moved right aft； barefooted； silent。
〃What is it？〃 I asked in a deadened voice； taking the lighted lamp
out of the binnacle； and raising it to his face。
〃An ugly business。〃
He had rather regular features； a good mouth； light eyes under
somewhat heavy； dark eyebrows； a smooth； square forehead； no growth
on his cheeks； a small； brown mustache； and a well…shaped； round chin。
His expression was concentrated； meditative； under the inspecting
light of the lamp I held up to his face； such as a man thinking
hard in solitude might wear。 My sleeping suit was just right
for his size。 A well…knit young fellow of twenty…five at most。
He caught his lower lip with the edge of white； even teeth。
〃Yes；〃 I said； replacing the lamp in the binnacle。
The warm； heavy tropical night closed upon his head again。
〃There's a ship over there；〃 he murmured。
〃Yes； I know。 The Sephora。 Did you know of us？〃
〃Hadn't the slightest idea。 I am the mate of her〃
He paused and corrected himself。 〃I should say I WAS。〃
〃Aha！ Something wrong？〃
〃Yes。 Very wrong indeed。 I've killed a man。〃
〃What do you mean？ Just now？〃
〃No； on the passage。 Weeks ago。 Thirty…nine south。
When I say a man〃
〃Fit of temper；〃 I suggested； confidently。
The shadowy； dark head； like mine； seemed to nod imperceptibly
above the ghostly gray of my sleeping suit。 It was； in the night；
as though I had been faced by my own reflection in the depths
of a somber and immense mirror。
〃A pretty thing to have to own up to for a Conway boy；〃
murmured my double； distinctly。
〃You're a Conway boy？〃
〃I am；〃 he said； as if startled。 Then； slowly 。 。 。 〃Perhaps you too〃
It was so； but being a couple of years older I had left before
he joined。 After a quick interchange of dates a silence fell；
and I thought suddenly of my absurd mate with his terrific whiskers
and the 〃Bless my soulyou don't say so〃 type of intellect。
My double gave me an inkling of his thoughts by saying：
〃My father's a parson in Norfolk。 Do you see me before a judge
and jury on that charge？ For myself I can't see the necessity。
There are fellows that an angel from heavenAnd I am not that。
He was one of those creatures that are just simmering
all the time with a silly sort of wickedness。
Miserable devils that have no business to live at all。
He wouldn't do his duty and wouldn't let anybody else do theirs。
But what's the good of talking！ You know well enough the sort
of ill…conditioned snarling cur〃
He appealed to me as if our experiences had been as identical as our clothes。
And I knew well enough the pestiferous danger of such a character where there
are no means of legal repression。 And I knew well enough also that my double
there was no homicidal ruffian。 I did not think of asking him for details；
and he told me the story roughly in brusque； disconnected sentences。
I needed no more。 I saw it all going on as though I were myself inside
that other sleeping suit。
〃It happened while we were setting a reefed foresail； at dusk。
Reefed foresail！ You understand the sort of weather。 The only sail we
had left to keep the ship running； so you may guess what it had been
like for days。 Anxious sort of job； that。 He gave me some of his cursed
insolence at the sheet。 I tell you I was overdone with this terrific weather
that seemed to have no end to it。 Terrific； I tell youand a deep ship。
I believe the fellow himself was half crazed with funk。 It was no time
for gentlemanly reproof； so I turned round and felled him like an ox。
He up and at me。 We closed just as an awful sea made for the ship。
All hands saw it coming and took to the rigging； but I had him by
the throat； and went on shaking him like a rat； the men above us yelling；
‘Look out！ look out！' Then a crash as if the sky had fallen on my head。
They say that for over ten minutes hardly anything was to be seen
of the shipjust the three masts and a bit of the forecastle head
and of the poop all awash driving along in a smother of foam。
It was a miracle that they found us； jammed together behind the forebitts。
It's clear that I meant business； because I was holding him by the throat
still when they picked us up。 He was black in the face。 It was too much
for them。 It seems they rushed us aft together； gripped as we were；