retty nigh eight bells, didn't you know
it?"

The pacing ceased. "Why, no, is it?" replied the captain's voice. "Guess
I'd better be turnin' in, hadn't I? How's the weather outside?"

"Fairin' off fast. Rain stopped and it's clear as a bell over to the
west'ard. Clear day and a fair wind to-morrer, I cal'late."

Kendrick made no further comment and Judah prepared for bed, singing as
he did so. He sang, not a chantey this time, but portions of a revival
hymn which he had recently heard and which, because of its nautical
nature, had stuck in his memory. The chorus commanded some one or other
to

"Pull for the shore, sailor,
Pull for the shore.
Leave that poor old stranded wreck
And pull for the shore."

Mr. Cahoon sang the chorus over and over. Then he ventured to tackle one
of the verses.

"Light in the darkness, sailor,
Day is at hand."

"Judah!" This from the spare stateroom.

"Aye, aye, Cap'n Sears."

"Better save the rest of that till the day gets here, hadn't you?"

"Eh? Oh, all right, Cap'n. Just goin' to douse the glim this minute.
Good night."

Three days after this interview in the Minot kitchen George Kent again
came to call. He came after dark, of course, and his visit was brief. He
had received from the New York brokers a detailed statement of his and
Phillips' joint account. The statement bore out what he had already told
Sears. Four hundred shares of Central Midland Common had been purchased
at 40. Against this the partners deposited sixteen hundred dollars.
Later they had deposited another sixteen hundred. The New York firm were
as confident as ever that the stock was perfectly good and the
speculation a good one. They advised waiting and, if possible, buying
more at the present low figure.

All this was of little help. The only information of any possible value
was that concerning the bonds which Egbert had contributed as his share
of the margin. Those, according to the brokers, were two City of Boston
4-1/2s, of one thousand dollars each, numbered A610,312 and A610,313.

Kent would have stayed and talked for hours if Kendrick had permitted.
He was as nervous as ever, even more so, because the days were passing
and the time drawing near when his brother-in-law would demand
settlement. The captain comforted him as well as he could, bade him
write his sister or her husband that he would remit early in the
following week, and sent him home again more hopeful,