e companion, gravely watching them; and as Foucault turned and met his
gaze, the Chinaman beckoned and went below.

"For the rest of that day Parratt kept close to his terrified comrade,
and during their watch below he endeavoured to remain awake, that he
might keep his friend in view. Nothing happened through the night, and
the following morning, when they came on deck for the forenoon watch,
their port was well in sight. The two men now separated for the first
time, Parratt going aft to take his trick at the wheel, and Foucault
being set to help in getting ready the ground tackle.

"Half an hour later Parratt saw the mate stand on the rail and lean
outboard, holding on to the mizzen-shrouds while he stared along the
ship's side. Then he jumped on to the deck and shouted angrily:
'Forward, there! What the deuce is that man up to under the starboard
cat-head?'

"The men on the forecastle rushed to the side and looked over; two of
them leaned over the rail with the bight of a rope between them, and a
third came running aft to the mate. 'It's Foucault, sir,' Parratt heard
him say. 'He's hanged hisself from the cat-head.'

"As soon as he was off duty, Parratt made his way to his dead comrade's
chest, and, opening it with his pick-lock, took out the pearl. It was
now his sole property, and, as the ship was within an hour or two of her
destination, he thought he had little to fear from its murdered owner.
As soon as the vessel was alongside the wharf, he would slip ashore and
get rid of the jewel, even if he sold it at a comparatively low price.
The thing looked perfectly simple.

"In actual practice, however, it turned out quite otherwise. He began
by accosting a well-dressed stranger and offering the pendant for fifty
pounds; but the only reply that he got was a knowing smile and a shake
of the head. When this experience had been repeated a dozen times or
more, and he had been followed up and down the streets for nearly an
hour by a suspicious gendarme, he began to grow anxious. He visited
quite a number of ships and yachts in the harbour, and at each refusal
the price of his treasure came down, until he was eager to sell it for a
few francs. But still no one would have it. Everyone took it for granted
that the pearl was a sham, and most of the persons whom he accosted
assumed that it had been stolen. The position was getting desperate.
Evening was approaching--the time of the dreaded dog-watches--and still
the pearl