ho are you?"

"What! is it possible that you don't remember me? I am afraid that that
banquet champagne has affected you a little. Try back, my dear fellow.
Don't you remember the _Victory?_"

Ah! he remembered now, and a terrible fear chilled his life-blood and
froze his once sneering tongue into silence.

"Ah! I see you do," and Challoner laughed with Satanic passion. "And so
we meet again--with our positions reversed. Once, unless my memory fails
me, you put me in irons. Now, Captain Cressingham, I have you seized up,
and we can have a quiet little chat--all to ourselves."

No answer came from Cressingham. With dilated, horror-stricken eyes and
panting breath he was turned into stone. The wretched man's silence at
last broke up the depths of his maddened tormentor's hatred, and with a
bound he sprang to his feet and raised his hand on high.

"Ah! God is good to me at last, Cressingham. For ten years I hungered
and thirsted for the day that would set me free, free to search the
world over for the lying, murderous dog that consigned me, an innocent
man, to a lifelong death. And when the day came, sooner than I thought
or you thought--for I suffered for ten years instead of for life--I
waited, a free man till I got you into my power."

His hand fell to his side again, and then he leaned forward and laughed.

Cressingham, with death creeping into his heart, at last found his
voice.

"Are you going to murder me?" he said.

"Yes," said Challoner, slowly, "I am going to murder you. But not
quickly. There would be no joy in that. I want you to taste some of my
hideous past--some little space, if only for a day or two, of that ten
long years of agony I spent in Pentridge."

Then he sat down again, and opening the locker in the stern sheets, took
out food and water, and placing it beside him, ate and drank. But he
gave none to Cressingham.

He finished his meal, and then looked again at his prisoner, and spoke
calmly again.

"You are comfortable, I trust, Captain Cressingham? Not cold, I am
certain, for you have my overcoat in addition to your own. Do you know
why I gave it to you? Just to keep you nice and warm during the night,
and--alive. But, as I feel chilly myself now, I'll take it from you.
Thanks," and he laughed mockingly as he leaned over and snatched it
away.

"You see, sir, we are going on a long cruise--down to the Snares,
perhaps--and I must keep warm myself, or else how can I talk to you to
brea