The heart of
the officer throbbed almost to suffocation; and his
firmness, hitherto supported by the manly energies of
his nature, now failed him quite. Heedless of appearances,
regardless of being overlooked, he tottered like a drunken
man for support against the mainmast. For a moment or
two he leant his head upon his hand, with the air of one
immersed in the most profound abstraction; while the
crew, at once alarmed and touched by the deep distress
into which this mysterious circumstance had plunged him,
stood silently and respectfully watching his emotion.
Suddenly he started from his attitude of painful repose,
like one awaking from a dream, and demanded what had
become of the Indian.
Every one looked around, but the captive was nowhere to
be seen. Search was made below, both in the cabin and in
the fore decks, and men were sent up aloft to see if he
had secreted himself in the rigging; but all returned,
stating he was nowhere to be found. He had disappeared
from the vessel altogether, yet no one knew how; for he
had not been observed to stir from the spot on which he
had first planted himself.
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