After it became quite dark Clayton could still feel those terrible
eyes upon him. He dared not sleep, and yet so exhausted was he
that it was a constant fight to retain consciousness. After what
seemed an eternity of suffering his head dropped upon a thwart,
and he slept. How long he was unconscious he did not know--he was
awakened by a shuffling noise quite close to him. The moon had
risen, and as he opened his startled eyes he saw Wilson creeping
stealthily toward him, his mouth open and his swollen tongue hanging
out.

The slight noise had awakened Jane Porter at the same time, and as
she saw the hideous tableau she gave a shrill cry of alarm, and at
the same instant the sailor lurched forward and fell upon Clayton.
Like a wild beast his teeth sought the throat of his intended prey,
but Clayton, weak though he was, still found sufficient strength
to hold the maniac's mouth from him.

At Jane Porter's scream Monsieur Thuran and Spider awoke. On seeing
the cause of her alarm, both men crawled to Clayton's rescue, and
between the three of them were able to subdue Wilson and hurl him
to the bottom of the boat. For a few minutes he lay there chattering
and laughing, and then, with an awful scream, and before any of
his companions could prevent, he staggered to his feet and leaped
overboard.

The reaction from the terrific strain of excitement left the weak
survivors trembling and prostrated. Spider broke down and wept;
Jane Porter prayed; Clayton swore softly to himself; Monsieur
Thuran sat with his head in his hands, thinking. The result of