rld; where, if the Powers once learnt of
it, they could hunt him down in a day? And yet, put into plain English,
that is the tale your friend tells."

"It is; I have never doubted that from the first. Captain Black is
either the most original villain living, or the whole story is a silly
dream--besides, we have yet to learn if he is the commander of the
nameless ship: we have also to learn if the nameless ship is not a
myth. Time alone will tell, and our wits."

"If they are not knocked out of us in the attempt, for, see you, Mark,
a man with a hole in his head is a precious poor person, and, of
course, you are prepared either way, success or the other thing."

"For either; but I trust one of us may come out of it, for Mary's
sake."

The thought made him very silent, and presently he turned in. I
remained above for half an hour, gazing over the great sweep of the
Atlantic. Paolo was on the bridge, as I have said, and, in accordance
with my design, I took all opportunity of watching him. That night some
inexplicable impulse held me awake when all others slept. I made
pretence, first of all, to go to my cabin; and bawled a good-night to
the mate as I went; but it was only to put on felt slippers and to get
a warm coat, and, with these secured, I made my way stealthily
amidships; and took a stand aft of the skipper's cabin, where I could
pry, yet not be seen. Not that I got much for my pains; but I heard
Paolo address several of the men forward, and it seemed to me that his
mode of speech was not quite that which should be between officer and
seaman. Perchance he was guilty of nothing more than common affability;
but yet I would rather have had him gruff and meddlesome than free and
intimate.

It chanced that in this watch the new men were on deck, my old crew
being in the port watch, or I would have questioned them there and
then. As it was, I let the matter go, and smoked; and, indeed, when
another bell had struck, I was more than rewarded for my pains.
Suddenly, on the far horizon over the starboard bow, I saw the flare of
a blue light, bright over the water; and showing as it flared, the dark
hull of a great ship. The light was unmistakably, I thought, the signal
of an ocean-going steamer which had sighted another of her company
still far away from us; but I had no more than time to come to this
conclusion when, to my profound amazement, Paolo himself struck light
to a flare which he had with him on the bridge, a