to alter his plan of campaign the instant that it became evident
that Divine had elected to join forces with the opposing faction.

"I reckon," he said, directing his remarks toward no one in particular,
"that we've all been rather hasty in this matter, being het up as we
were with the strain of what we been through an' so it seems to me,
takin' into consideration that Mr. Theriere really done his best to save
the ship, an' that as a matter of fact we was all mighty lucky to come
out of it alive, that we'd better let bygones be bygones, for the time
bein' at least, an' all of us pitch in to save what we can from the
wreckage, hunt water, rig up a camp, an' get things sort o' shipshape
here instid o' squabblin' amongst ourselves."

"Suit yourself," said Theriere, "it's all the same to us," and his use
of the objective pronoun seemed definitely to establish the existence of
his faction as a separate and distinct party.

Simms, from years of experience with his astute mate, was wont to
acquiesce in anything that Ward proposed, though he had not the brains
always to appreciate the purposes that prompted Ward's suggestions. Now,
therefore, he nodded his approval of Squint Eye's proposal, feeling that
whatever was in Ward's mind would be more likely to work out to Skipper
Simms' interests than some unadvised act of Skipper Simms himself.

"Supposin'," continued Ward, "that we let two o' your men an' two o'
ourn under Mr. Divine, shin up them cliffs back o' the cove an' search
fer water an' a site fer camp--the rest o' us'll have our hands full
with the salvage."

"Good," agreed Theriere. "Miller, you and Swenson will accompany Mr.
Divine."

Ward detailed two of his men, and the party of five began the difficult
ascent of the cliffs, while far above them a little brown man with
beady, black eyes set in narrow fleshy slits watched them from behind a
clump of bushes. Strange, medieval armor and two wicked-looking swords
gave him a most warlike appearance. His temples were shaved, and a broad
strip on the top of his head to just beyond the crown. His remaining
hair was drawn into an unbraided queue, tied tightly at the back, and
the queue then brought forward to the top of the forehead. His helmet
lay in the grass at his feet. At the nearer approach of the party to the
cliff top the watcher turned and melted into the forest at his back.
He was Oda Yorimoto, descendant of a powerful daimio of the Ashikaga
Dynasty of shoguns