ping past. He took his gun again and went down to the
galley to prepare some coffee. It was not the time or place for an
enjoyable meal, but he would have relished it more had he not pictured
the _Adelaide_ and her lovely owner steaming across these threatening
seas.

He knew the captain of the _Adelaide_. "Obstinate pigheaded old
Scotchman!" "Hope he takes Brent's advice. Of course Brent couldn't
tell him the truth. We can't blat this wild yarn all over the air or
the passenger lines would have our scalps. But I wish the _Adelaide_
was safe in Manila."

* * * * *

His explorations in the afternoon were half-hearted and perfunctory.
There was nothing more to be learned. But he had seen in his mind some
vague outline of what they must meet. He saw a something, mammoth,
huge, that could grasp and hold an ocean freighter--against whose
great body he had seen the waves dash in a line of white spray. Yet a
something that could force its way down narrow passages, could press
with terrific strength on bolted doors and crush them inward, wrecked
and splintered. Some serpentine thing that felt and saw its way and
crawled so surely through the dark--found its prey--seized it--and
carried off a man as easily as it might a mouse.

No octopus, no matter what proportions, filled the description. He
gave up trying to see too clearly the awful thing. And he kept away
from the ship's rail when once he had ventured near. For there had
come to him a feeling of fear that had sent the waves of cold
trickling and prickling up his spine. Was there something really
there?... A waiting lurking horror in the depths?

"The eyes," he thought, "the eyes!..." And he went more quickly than
he knew to his barred retreat where again he might breathe quietly.

* * * * *

The position of the deserted ship was south of the regular steamer
lanes on the TransPacific run. Only a trace of smoke on the northern
horizon marked through the afternoon the passage of other craft. It
was a long and lonely vigil for the waiting man. But the _Bennington_
would return, and he listened in at intervals hoping to hear her
friendly signal.

The batteries operating the _Nagasaki's_ wireless were none too
strong; Thorpe saved their strength, though he tried at times to raise
the _Bennington_ somewhere beyond his reach.

The sun was touching the horizon when he got his first response. "Keep
up the old n