apacity are you callin' this conference?" Lund asked,
when Carlsen notified him in turn. "The skipper ain't dead is he?"

"I represent the captain, Lund," replied the doctor. "He entirely
approves of what I am about to suggest to you and the men. In fact I
have his signature to a document that I hope you will sign also. It will
be greatly to your interest to do so. I am in present charge of the
_Karluk_."

"You ain't a reg'lar member of this expedition," objected Lund stolidly.
"Neither am I a member of the crew, just now. But the skipper's my
partner in this deal, signed, sealed and recorded. Afore I go to enny
meetin' I'd like to have a talk with him personally. Thet's fair enough,
ain't it?"

Several of the hunters had gathered about, and Lund's question seemed a
general appeal. Carlsen shrugged his shoulders.

"If you had your eyesight," he said almost brutally, "you could soon see
that the skipper was in no condition to discuss matters, much less be
present."

"Here's my eyesight," countered Lund. "Mr. Rainey here. Let him see the
skipper and ask him a question or two."

"What kind of question? I'm asking as his doctor, Lund."

"For one thing if he's read the paper you say he signed. I want to be
sure of that. An' I don't make it enny of yore bizness, Carlsen, what I
want to say to my partner, by proxy or otherwise. Second thing, I'd like
to be sure he's still alive. As for yore standin' as his doctor, all
I've got to say is that yo're a damned pore doctor, so fur as the
skipper's concerned, ennyway."

The two men stood facing each other, Carlsen looking evilly at the
giant, whose black glasses warded off his glance. It was wasting looks
to glare at a blind man. Equally to sneer. But the bout between the two
was timed now, and both were casting aside any veneer of diplomacy,
their enmity manifesting itself in the raw. The issue was growing tense.

Rainey fancied that Carlsen was not entirely sure of his following, and
relied upon Lund's indignant refusal of terms to back up his plans of
getting rid of him decisively.

CHAPTER X

THE SHOW-DOWN

"Rainey can see the skipper," said Carlsen carelessly.

"All right," said Lund. "Will you do that, Rainey? Now?" And Rainey had
a fleeting fancy that the giant winked one of his blind eyes at him,
though the black lenses were deceiving.

He went below immediately and rapped on the door, a little surprised to
see the girl appear in the opening. He had