ring a score of
feet across the tips, passed within a few yards.

By sunset, Minnie began to rave, softly, babblingly, like a child.
Duncan's face grew haggard as he watched and listened, while in his
mind he revolved plans of how best to end the hours of agony that were
coming. And, so planning, as they rose on a larger swell than usual,
he swept the circle of the sea with his eyes, and saw, what made him cry
out.

"Minnie!" She did not answer, and he shouted her name again in her ear,
with all the voice he could command. Her eyes opened, in them fluttered
commingled consciousness and delirium. He slapped her hands and wrists
till the sting of the blows roused her.

"There she is, the chance in a million!" he cried.

"A steamer at that, heading straight for us! By George, it's a cruiser!
I have it!--the Annapolis, returning with those astronomers from
Tutuwanga."

*****

United States Consul Lingford was a fussy, elderly gentleman, and in
the two years of his service at Attu-Attu had never encountered so
unprecedented a case as that laid before him by Boyd Duncan. The
latter, with his wife, had been landed there by the Annapolis, which had
promptly gone on with its cargo of astronomers to Fiji.

"It was cold-blooded, deliberate attempt to murder," said Consul
Lingford. "The law shall take its course. I don't know how precisely
to deal with this Captain Dettmar, but if he comes to Attu-Attu, depend
upon it he shall be dealt with, he--ah--shall be dealt with. In the
meantime, I shall read up the law. And now, won't you and your good lady
stop for lunch!"

As Duncan accepted the invitation, Minnie, who had been glancing out
of the window at the harbor, suddenly leaned forward and touched her
husband's arm. He followed her gaze, and saw the Samoset, flag at half
mast, rounding up and dropping anchor scarcely a hundred yards away.

"There's my boat now," Duncan said to the Consul. "And there's the
launch over the side, and Captain Dettmar dropping into it. If I don't
miss my guess, he's coming to report our deaths to you."

The launch landed on the white beach, and leaving Lorenzo tinkering with
the engine, Captain Dettmar strode across the beach and up the path to
the Consulate.

"Let him make his report," Duncan said. "We'll just step into this next
room and listen."

And through the partly open door, he and his wife heard Captain Dettmar,
with tears in his voice, describe the loss of his owners.

"I jib