ut again.

"Two missing! Hand 'em over, Whittington!"

"I won't!"

Three steps, marvelously quick for so deliberate a fellow, brought
Spurling to the other's side. An iron grip compressed Percy's shoulder.

"Will you give 'em to me or shall I have to take 'em? Say quick!"

The strong, unwavering grasp brought Whittington to his senses.
Thrusting his hand into his pocket, he brought out the shells. "Here
they are!"

Jim bestowed them carefully inside his coat. His manner changed
instantly.

"Now, Percy," said he, "pull yourself together! I don't wonder you were
sore at the ram. What you got was enough to rile anybody; it would have
set me hunting rocks myself. But you'll have to draw the line a long way
this side of a gun. You can't blame the brute; it's his nature. And you
can't blame us for laughing--we couldn't help it; you'd do the same in
our place. The thing's over now. Forget it! Let's eat a good dinner,
and all take hold on the fish this afternoon. We've made a whopping big
catch, not much under three thousand pounds, I should say--enough, at
any rate, to keep us all busy till dark. Let's bury the hatchet, handle
and all, so deep that it'll never be dug up again! Shake on it!"

Whittington ignored Jim's outstretched hand. Trembling with humiliation
and anger, he had all he could do to keep the tears from his eyes.
Turning away without replying, he walked eastward along the beach to the
ledges. He clambered over these until he gained a spot out of sight of
the cove, then threw himself down to think. His hunger had disappeared;
food would have choked him.

There he lay till the middle of the afternoon, smoking moodily. When he
returned to camp at three he had decided on his course of action.

All the others were aboard the _Barracouta_, at work on the fish.

Spurling hailed Percy. "Want to lend a hand, Whittington?"

"No!" refused Percy, shortly.

Entering the cabin, he made a dry lunch on cold biscuit and
soda-crackers, then threw himself on his bunk and began reading. The
afternoon dragged on. At five Filippo came in and began to peel potatoes
and slice ham for supper; soon they were frying in the spider. The smell
was pleasant in Percy's nostrils.

Half an hour later in came the others, tired and hungry. The fish had
been finished. All sat down at the table, Percy, uninvited, drawing up
his soap-box with the rest. Nobody said anything to him, but he ate
with a relish.

The meal over, Spurling