Senor," he said.

The third Chinese opened the door from the galley, but a look and
gesture from Bedient sent him back, and the lock was turned upon him.
Bedient now placed the gun upon the table, and directed his attention
to Framtree.

"You made it rather hard for me to have a talk with you, my friend," he
said.

The place was terrible with strain....

There had been a moment, as the Spaniard's hand crept to his pocket, in
which Miss Mallory was powerless with fear, but she could not scream.
It was as if Bedient's eyes had held her, too. She watched the pistol
now. It was out of Key's reach, and he could not rise from a chair
without great difficulty. Framtree did not seem to be armed, for which
she was greatly attracted to him.... He had started to speak two or
three times, but found no words. The appearance of Bedient seemed to
have fascinated him for a moment, but now he managed to declare:

"It must have been the Chinese who turned, Senor.... Somebody went
overboard--I think Sorenson."

And not until now did Miss Mallory venture to take her eyes from the
cabin interior.... Madame Sorenson was fighting windmills of hysteria.
Far back there was a blotch in the darkness, and a curious blend of
sea-water, Russian and Chinese, as Sorenson was dragged into the boat;
back farther still the lights of Jaffier's gunboat.... And now she
found the Glow-worm staring at her, the big face drawing closer, and a
rising flame of hope in the strange eyes.

"What have you done, dearest?" she questioned softly.

"He could swim. He told me he could swim," Miss Mallory heard herself
repeating vaguely.

THIRTY-FIRST CHAPTER

THE GLOW-WORM'S ONE HOUR

Sorenson and the two Chinese were now eliminated. Senor Rey, disarmed,
was not a physical menace; third Chinese was locked in the galley; in a
sense Bedient and Framtree equalized; Madame Sorenson was having
trouble to overcome her own hysteria; and Adith Mallory uncovered no
hostility in the Glow-worm--quite the opposite. Framtree answered
Bedient:

"I suggested to the Senor that he let me see you, but he thought to the
contrary. He is my commanding officer.... As for you, Bedient, all I
have to say is that you carry--a maniac's luck. I think--I think if you
hadn't looked so like a dead man, Senor Rey would have done the natural
thing, as you came forth from the forecastle."... The big chap glanced
at the pistol on the table. "What is it you want with me?"

Again an