zing point. If they had been sailing on fresh
water, instead of salt, he fancied that the rigging would have been
glazed where the spray struck it. As it was, the canvas seemed to him
stiffer than usual, and there was a whitish haze about the northern
horizon that suggested ice.

The tall, olive-tinted seas ranged up in dissolving hills, the wind's
whistle was shrill in the rigging. Over the mainmast a gray-breasted
bird with wide, unmoving pinions hung without apparent motion, its ruby
eyes watching the ship, as if it was a spy sent out from the Arctic to
report the adventurous strangers about to dare its dangers.

As the day passed to sunset the gloom quickly deepened. The sun sank
early into banks of leaden clouds, and the _Karluk_ slid on through the
seething seas in a scene of strange loneliness, save for the suspended
albatross that never varied its position by an inch or by a flirt of its
plumes.

Rainey felt the dreary suggestion of it all as he walked up and down,
trying to evolve some plan. Lund's mysterious hints were unsatisfactory.
He could not believe them without some basis, but the giant would never
go further than vague talk of a "joker" or a card up his sleeve. And
they would need more than one card, Rainey thought.

He wondered whether they could win over Hansen, who had spoken for Lund
against the skipper. And had then kept his counsel. But he dismissed
Hansen as an ally. The Scandinavian was too cautious, too apt to
consider such things as odds. Sandy was useless, aside from his
good-will. He was cowed by Deming, scared of Carlsen, too puny to do
more than he had done, given them warning.

Tamada? Would he fight for the share of gold he expected to come to him?
Lund had described him as neutral. But, if he knew that he was to be
left out of the division? It was not likely that he would be called to
the conference. The Japanese undoubtedly knew the racial prejudice
against him, a prejudice that Rainey considered short-sighted, taking
some pains to show that he did not share it. At any rate, Tamada might
provide him with a weapon, a sharp-bladed vegetable knife if nothing
better.

But, if it came to downright combat, they must be overwhelmed. Carlsen's
gun again assumed proper proportions. Lund might not be afraid of it,
but Rainey was, very frankly. He should have snatched it from the cabin
cushions. But Tamada? He could not dismiss Tamada as an important
factor. There was no question to Raine