to give way in less than an hour. He yawned, pulled
himself together, and then yawned again. After that he ceased to take
any active part in the conversation. Then Miss King began to lose
colour. Meldon, who was sitting forward with his legs dangling over
the combing of the cockpit, winked at Major Kent. The Major,
uncomfortably aware of the feelings of his guests, scowled at Meldon.
The nearest island on which it was possible to land was still some way
off. He foresaw a period of extreme unpleasantness. Meldon winked
again, and mouthed the word "Ilaun More" silently. It was the name of
the nearest island, and he meant to suggest to the Major that it would
be very desirable to go no further. He might, without giving offence,
have said all he wanted to say out loud. Simpkins had reached a stage
of his malady in which it was impossible for him to listen
intelligently to anything, and Miss King would have rejoiced to hear of
a prospect of firm land.

The _Spindrift_, which had been thrashing her way into the teeth of the
wind, was allowed to go free, and reached swiftly towards Ilaun More.
The change of motion completely finished Simpkins, but the period of
his extreme misery was short. The yacht rounded up into the wind in a
sheltered bay, and Meldon let go the anchor. The boom, swinging
rapidly from side to side, swept Simpkins' hat (a stiff-brimmed straw
hat) into the sea. He made no effort to save it; but the Major,
grabbing the boat-hook, got hold of it just before it floated beyond
reach, and drew it, waterlogged and limp, into the boat. Simpkins
expressed no gratitude. Meldon hauled the punt alongside, and asked
Miss King if she would like to go ashore. She assented with a feeble
smile. There was no use consulting Simpkins. His wishes were taken
for granted, and he was deposited, with great difficulty, in the bow of
the punt. Meldon rowed them ashore. He gave his arm to Miss King and
led her up to a dry rock, on which she sat down. He went back to the
punt again, straightened out Simpkins, hauled him up, and set him down
beside Miss King. Then he rowed back to the _Spindrift_ in the punt.

"This," said the Major angrily, "is a nice kind of party. You might
have had more sense, J. J., than to invite people of that sort out in
the _Spindrift_."

"You're very unreasonable," said Meldon. "I thought you'd have found
the keenest delight in watching the sufferings of Simpkins. If I had
an enemy