Mr. Campbell's death

"Mr. Campbell will die," declared acting Captain Cable.

He had recently assumed the acting captaincy when the former captain died in a struggle in his own quarters. None of the crew, except a few really minded, because First Lieutenant Thomas Cable was a fair and just man. He certainly was ambitious, but he refrained from making the crew pay for his ambitions.

The former captain obliged the crew far too often into his excesses and indulgences. Certainly, until they got into port Lieutenant Cable would exercise them in running out the guns, mending the sails, and the perpetual swabbing of the decks. However, most of the crew didn't mind because, Lieutenant Cable understood the importance of rum.

Now Lieutenant Cable stood on the quarterdeck looking down at the assembled crew. All activity on the deck had ceased and all hands assembled on deck to observe the punishment and purging of a man caught not only in a seditious act, but in murder. The Articles of War declared that a man caught in such manner would be hung from the yard arm until dead. The crew was ready and ripe for a hanging since the long, cold days on the S.S. Calvacade had last been in port over 3 months past. This Mr. Campbell was inserted into the crew at their last port, when their roles were already full and no other seaman had been pressed into service. Most of the crew resented this man who did his job, but had little interaction with most of the crew. Infact, this was the same man who created an uproar below decks and had spent his most recent time locked in the brig. So, justice would be forthwith and they would return to their routine of patrolling the cold North Sea.

"Mr. Campbell is hereby sentenced to death by hanging," declared Lieutant Cable, his long overcoat pulled up to his ears as he shouted above the wind and cold spray of the ocean. A death on a ship is enteraining for a moment, but can upset the moral quickly.

"Hang the man," and with that, Cable dropped his hand and Corporal Watson pushed Mr. Campbell off the yard arm.

SNAP! All men on board heard the crack of Mr. Campbell's neck as his body fell with a jerk.
Most men looked away, some just stared. His eyes rolled back into his head and his tongue poked out the side of his mouth. Most had never seen a hanging and the excitement was fading fast.

"Return to your stations!" bellowed Cable to the crew. "Corporal Watson, move this lot! Lieutenants Marsh and Rider, cut the man down and move him to my quarters for sea burial prepartions."