clutter of gold into the palm of the other man. The pale blue eyes
looked at the gold, looked out along the gangway, and then looked back
at the waiting stranger.

"That Alfaro gang after you?" he inquired.

"They 're _all_ after me!" answered the swaying figure in rags. They
were talking together, by this time, almost in whispers, like two
conspirators. The young engineer seemed puzzled. But a wave of relief
swept through Blake when in the pale blue eyes he saw almost a look of
pity.

"What d' you want me to do?" he finally asked.

Blake, instead of answering that question, asked another.

"When do you move out of here?"

The engineer put the coins in his pocket.

"Before noon to-morrow, thank God! The _Yorktown_ ought to be here by
morning--she 's to give us our release!"

"Then you'll sail by noon?"

"We 've _got_ to! They 've tied us up here over a month, without
reason. They worked that old yellow-jack gag--and not a touch of fever
aboard all that time!"

A great wave of contentment surged through Blake's weary body. He put
his hand up on the smaller man's shoulder.

"Then you just get me out o' sight until we 're off, and I 'll fix
things so you 'll never be sorry for it!"

The pale-eyed engineer studied the problem. Then he studied the figure
in front of him.

"There's nothing crooked behind this?"

Blake forced a laugh from his weary lungs. "I 'll prove that in two
days by wireless--and pay first-class passage to the next port of call!"

"I 'm fourth engineer on board here, and the Old Man would sure fire
me, if--"

"But you needn't even know about me," contended Blake. "Just let me
crawl in somewhere where I can sleep!"

"You need it, all right, by that face of yours!"

"I sure do," acknowledged the other as he stood awaiting his judge's
decision.

"Then I 'd better get you down to my bunk. But remember, I can only
stow you there until we get under way--perhaps not that long!"

He stepped cautiously out and looked along the gangway. "This is your
funeral, mind, when the row comes. You 've got to face that, yourself!"

"Oh, I 'll face it, all right!" was Blake's calmly contented answer.
"All I want now is about nine hours' sleep!"

"Come on, then," said the fourth engineer. And Blake followed after as
he started deeper down into the body of the ship. And already, deep
below him, he could hear the stokers at work in their hole.

XIV

After seven cataleptic hou