re is always a certain element
of risk to the assassin, for victims of deadly assault are seldom prone
to die quietly and considerately. There is always a certain element of
risk to go so far as to dispute the issue with the murderer. It was
this chance of dispute which Gust preferred to forgo.

But now that the work was done the Swede aspired to the position of
highest command among the mutineers. He had even gone so far as to
appropriate and wear certain articles belonging to the murdered captain
of the Cowrie--articles of apparel which bore upon them the badges and
insignia of authority.

Kai Shang was peeved. He had no love for authority, and certainly not
the slightest intention of submitting to the domination of an ordinary
Swede sailor.

The seeds of discontent were, therefore, already planted in the camp of
the mutineers of the Cowrie at the north edge of Jungle Island. But
Kai Shang realized that he must act with circumspection, for Gust alone
of the motley horde possessed sufficient knowledge of navigation to get
them out of the South Atlantic and around the cape into more congenial
waters where they might find a market for their ill-gotten wealth, and
no questions asked.

The day before they sighted Jungle Island and discovered the little
land-locked harbour upon the bosom of which the Cowrie now rode quietly
at anchor, the watch had discovered the smoke and funnels of a warship
upon the southern horizon.

The chance of being spoken to and investigated by a man-of-war appealed
not at all to any of them, so they put into hiding for a few days until
the danger should have passed.

And now Gust did not wish to venture out to sea again. There was no
telling, he insisted, but that the ship they had seen was actually
searching for them. Kai Shang pointed out that such could not be the
case since it was impossible for any human being other than themselves
to have knowledge of what had transpired aboard the Cowrie.

But Gust was not to be persuaded. In his wicked heart he nursed a
scheme whereby he might increase his share of the booty by something
like one hundred per cent. He alone could sail the Cowrie, therefore
the others could not leave Jungle Island without him; but what was
there to prevent Gust, with just sufficient men to man the schooner,
slipping away from Kai Shang, Momulla the Maori, and some half of the
crew when opportunity presented?

It was for this opportunity that Gust waited.