"Read it," Griffiths commanded. "Read it aloud."

Grief obeyed; but while he read, the fingers of his left hand began an
infinitely slow and patient crawl toward the butt of the weapon under
the pillow.

"On board the ketch Willi-Waw, Bombi Bight, Island of Anna, Solomon
Islands," he read. "Know all men by these presents that I do hereby sign
off and release in full, for due value received, all debts whatsoever
owing to me by Harrison J. Griffiths, who has this day paid to me twelve
hundred pounds sterling."

"With that receipt in my hands," Griffiths grinned, "your admiralty
warrant's not worth the paper it's written on. Sign it."

"It won't do any good, Griffiths," Grief said. "A document signed under
compulsion won't hold before the law."

"In that case, what objection have you to signing it then?"

"Oh, none at all, only that I might save you heaps of trouble by not
signing it."

Grief's fingers had gained the revolver, and, while he talked, with his
right hand he played with the pen and with his left began slowly and
imperceptibly drawing the weapon to his side. As his hand finally closed
upon it, second finger on trigger and forefinger laid past the cylinder
and along the barrel, he wondered what luck he would have at left-handed
snap-shooting.

"Don't consider me," Griffiths gibed. "And just remember Jacobsen will
testify that he saw me pay the money over. Now sign, sign in full, at
the bottom, David Grief, and date it."

From on deck came the jar of sheet-blocks and the rat-tat-tat of
the reef-points against the canvas. In the cabin they could feel the
_Willi-Waw_ heel, swing into the wind, and right. David Grief still
hesitated. From for'ard came the jerking rattle of headsail halyards
through the sheaves. The little vessel heeled, and through the cabin
walls came the gurgle and wash of water.

"Get a move on!" Griffiths cried. "The anchor's out."

The muzzle of the rifle, four feet away, was bearing directly on him,
when Grief resolved to act. The rifle wavered as Griffiths kept his
balance in the uncertain puffs of the first of the wind. Grief took
advantage of the wavering, made as if to sign the paper, and at the same
instant, like a cat, exploded into swift and intricate action. As he
ducked low and leaped forward with his body, his left hand flashed from
under the screen of the table, and so accurately-timed was the single
stiff pull on the self-cocking trigger that the cartridge discharge