s were
threatening when she said, 'Fling away, then, what you fear to take.' To
her face then he laughed for pride and joy that she should prove him.
When that same hour came round, he drew up her third gift.

He cared too little that in the interim a mischance had fallen against
him; he had at last been descried fairly within the Sinister buoys, and
chased by an unknown sail far west, escaping only under dark to circle
for home beneath midnight stars.

'O damnation!' was Giles's exclamation on the third prize. 'This won't
do--'tis too like devil's luck. Ah, lad!' He faltered, caught at
Christian, and peered in his face: 'You have not--you have not--got
fee-penny of them below!'

Christian reeled. 'Dad, O dad!' he gasped.

'Steady, lad, steady! Here come spies as usual. There's no stowing a
scrap unseen. Ah, they gape! Here, clear off home with this confounded
stuff. I'll see to the nets.'

Rhoda's eyes shone like stars, her cheeks were like angry dawn. She
hovered about Christian with open devotion, at once tender and fierce,
playing the child for some cover to that bold demonstration. Christian's
heart shrank, for he could not understand her nor appreciate her. But
Giles had a tale to unfold that brought light. Rhoda had come in flaming
from a stormy passage with Philip. He had gained her ear to hint a
warning against Christian, justifying it against her passion with a
definite charge and instance that he had the evil eye. She, loyal in
defence, carried away into attack, had rashly invaded with exasperating
strokes.

'She's made bad blood, I doubt--the little hawk!' said Giles. 'He's
mortal savage now, and there's mischief enough brewing without.'

'What do you know?'

'A sight more than I like, now I've gone to pry it out. It looks as if
not a beast has gone and died by nature or mischance, not a bone gets out
or broken, but there's a try to fix it on you with your evil eye. We've
been in the dark overlong--though an inkling I must own to.'

'I too, by token of doubled thumbs.'

'Christian,' said the old man with authority, 'never again bring in the
black or the green or any rarity; you can't afford it again.'

Christian's head rose defiantly.

'Drop your airs, you young fool! Why, your inches are enough against you
as it is. If you weren't so uppish at times, there would now be less of a
set against you.'

'On my word,' protested Christian, 'I have borne much and been silent. I
know the young cur I