The crew standing in the gangway were looking my way with signs of irritation in their bearing. I merely needed to give one glance at the carpenter’s face to satisfy me that temper, protest, appeal, would be hopeless; that refusal must simply end in my being bodily laid hold of. I was urged by every instinct in me to a policy of conciliation. To irritate the fellows would be the height of folly; to provoke the indignity of being seized and roughly thrust into the boat, the utmost degree of madness. My resolution was at once formed. ‘I will accompany you, Mr. Lush,’ I said. ‘Get you gone on to the quarter-deck whilst I say a few words to comfort my companion.’ He walked away to the gesture with which I accompanied this request. ‘Miss Temple, pray take heart. Wetherly is one of the two men who are to be left. You will feel safe here with him on board until I return.’ ‘Until you return!’ she cried, with her eyes full of misery and horror. ‘I shall never see you more!’ ‘Oh no; do not believe such a thing. The men imagine I shall be of service to them in lighting upon the spot where the gold is. They cannot do without me as a navigator. They will bring me off with them when they leave the island.’ ‘I shall never see you again,’ she repeated in a voice of exquisite distress. ‘Why could they not have left us together here?’ ‘Now, Mr. Dugdale, if _you_ please,’ bawled the carpenter from the head of the poop ladder. I took and pressed her hand between mine, and then broke away from her. What had I to say, what to offer, that she could convert into a hope? I felt the danger of continuing to view her in her despair and helplessness, for already it was producing in me a rage against the men that must be suppressed at all costs. I turned to smile and to wave my hand, and found her with her back upon me and her face buried. Wetherly and the man who was to be left with him stood a little forward of the main-hatch looking on. As I stepped to the gangway I called out: ‘Wetherly, and you, Simpson: I leave the lady behind me; she is alone. You will see to her, men, I beg.’ Simpson gazed stolidly, as though not understanding me; indeed, there was no countenance amongst the sailors from which all meaning appeared to have been so entirely discharged as his. Wetherly smiled, and flourished his hand with a significant glance. He would perfectly comprehend that I had included Simpson as an excuse to appeal to him only. Without another word I dropped into the main-chains and jumped into the long-boat.