s forehead, thinking.

"What did the third mate say in regard to our going?" I asked Jim.

"I couldn't hear the talk, only part of a sentence whispered by that
man-woman when the steward came into the cabin during the mid-watch last
night with a can of salmon and some ship's bread. They stood near the
door of the alleyway, talking, and I suddenly came bulging into them with
rubber boots on. He said something about Andrews being a fine captain and
perfectly capable of taking this ship in or out any port on the African
coast. That's all."

I stopped serving the end of the lanyard I was at work on and looked
across the deck to where Andrews stood with several men. His sinister
face with its sour smile was turned toward us as though he studied
our thoughts.

"You're not over busy, Mr. Rolling," said Sackett, coming along the rail
to the rigging. "I wish you and the carpenter would try to get a gantline
over the side and look along under her for the butt. In this clear water
the chances are good for getting a sight of it if it's well up on her
bilge. We ought to stop her up some while the calm lasts."

XIII

At noon Sackett came on deck to take the sun. His second officer,
Journegan, a heavily built man with mutton-chop whiskers of a colorless
hue, was incapable of the smallest attempt at navigation, so he stood
idly by while his superior let the sun rise until it had reached its
highest point.

"Eight bells," cried Sackett, and went below to work out the sight.

"By the grace of God," echoed Andrews, who had come upon the poop.

The second officer smiled at his attempted wit and struck off the bells.
He appeared to be quite friendly with Andrews and stopped a moment
afterward to chat with him.

When we went below to dinner the words of Jim were fresh in my mind. How
would Andrews try to get clear of us? The fact that he intended to do it
I firmly believed, for the ruffian had such a sinister character that I
felt certain his only reason for being apparently satisfied at present
was because he intended some treachery. What part the third officer of
the _Pirate_ would play in the affair I could hardly guess. Jim knew
nothing about him, but since he came aboard with Thompson, there was
every reason to believe that this rosy-cheeked youngster with the girl's
voice was an accomplished villain. That Andrews and he understood each
other was certain. Andrews was most blasphemous at meals, and would
endeavor to e