e sea.

It was Lund's demeanor that gripped him. The giant had dismissed Carlsen
as unceremoniously as he might have flipped the ash from a cigar, or
tossed the stub overside.

"I've got to tackle those hunters," Lund said. "I expect trouble there,
sooner or later. But I'm goin' to lay down the law to 'em. If they come
clean, well an' good, they git their original two shares. If not, they
don't get a plugged nickel. An' Deming's the one who'll stir up the
trouble, take it from me. Tell Hansen to turn in his watch-off, I shan't
take a deck for a day or two, you'll have to go on handlin' it between
you. I've got to make my peace with the gal, an' do what I can with the
skipper."

"She'll not make peace easily. But the skipper's in a bad way."

Lund lit his pipe.

"I'd jest as soon it was war. I don't see as we can help the skipper
much 'less we try reverse treatment of what Carlsen did. If we knew what
that was? If he gits worse she'll let us know, I reckon. Mebbe you can
suggest somethin'?"

Rainey shook his head.

"I suppose she can do more than any of us," he said.

Lund nodded, then whistled to Tamada, leaving the cabin.

"Take a bottle of whisky to the hunters' mess, with my compliments.
That'll give 'em about three jolts apiece," he said to Rainey. "Long as
we've won out we may as well let 'em down easy. But they'll work for
their shares, jest the same. A drink or two may help 'em swaller what
I'm goin' to give 'em by way of dessert in the talkin' line. See you
later."

Rainey took the dismissal and went up to the relief of Hansen. He did
not mention what had happened until the Scandinavian referred to it
indirectly.

"They put the doc overboard, sir, soon's Mr. Lund an' you bane go
below."

It seemed a summary dismissal of the dead, without ceremony. Yet, for
the rite to be authentic, Lund must have presided, and the sea-burial
service would have been a mockery under the circumstances. It was the
best thing to have done, Rainey felt, but he could not avoid a mental
shiver at the thought of the man, so lately vital, his brain alive with
energy, sliding through the cold water to the ooze to lie there, sodden,
swinging with the sub-sea currents until the ocean scavengers claimed
him.

"All right, Hansen," he said in answer, and the man hurried off after
his extra detail.

Lund came up after a while, and Rainey told him of the fate of Carlsen's
body.

"I figgered they'd do about that," commented L