The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 305: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

300 THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. of his throat, as if to repress the horrible agony of his convulsions. His words came thick and heavy—he articulated with difficulty—lock-jaw, had already com- menced. ** Secure him, doctor !”’ roared the captain. The surgeon never moved. ‘‘ What are you afraid of?” continued the officer ; “‘ haven’t I heard you boast that you could restrain a madman by the glance of your eye—and this poor devil seems mad enough ?” ‘‘ The worst of madness,’ ‘* hydrophobia !”’ ) The captain, who had advanced nearer. to Flin than the rest, recoiled. He was a man of resolution, who would have braved a mutiny sword in hand, and given his orders coolly in the event of storm or wreck ; but that one word paralysed his courage. It was not death he feared, but the horrors of such a death. “I told you,” whispered the disappointed Ben, “ you had better have smothered him.” The surgeon secretly wished he had. By the captain’s directions, the emigrants, women, and children, were ordered abaft the mast, and all hands summoned on deck. Some of the passengers, fascinated by the horrors of the scene, climbed into the shrouds, others into the chains ; while the sailors, armed with every species of weapon, attempted the capture of the maniac. It was truly an infernal chase. Flin yelling and replied the young man, (SO) COnnlcloooks