The captain is right ! '
' Hang him ! '
Over the cliff ! Over the cliff ! '
The gun was taken away from my head . I was almost sorry . Death had only left me for a moment to return in some more fearful shape . ' No hurry , men , said the leader ; let us hear if he has anything to say in his defence . Some of the smugglers objected , but the man was clearly had some influence , and so I was brought before him and told to speak . I shall never forget that scene . The stormy night , the wild cliff , the lamp flashing upon the circle of blackened faces , the figure of the self-appointed judge , tall and shadowy , with nothing of his face showing but his eyes –all these were rather part of a terrible dream than of anything belonging to the real world .