Chapter 11
THE DEAD LINEMrs. Johns and the stewardess came up late in the afternoon. We
had railed off a part of the deck around the forward companionway
for them, and none of the crew except the man on guard was allowed
inside the ropes. After a consultation, finding the ship very
short-handed, and unwilling with the night coming on to trust any
of the men, Burns and I decided to take over this duty ourselves,
and, by stationing ourselves at the top of the companionway, to
combine the duties of officer on watch and guard of the after
house. To make the women doubly secure, we had Oleson nail all the
windows closed, although they were merely portholes. Jones was no
longer on guard below, and I had exchanged Singleton's worthless
revolver for my own serviceable one.
Mrs. Johns,
