made such a pitiful struggle for self-mastery as the
gallows often reveals. If there was a momentary flash of hope based on
a transient determination to plead, it faded instantly before the stern
and implacable eyes that greeted him from all sides of the table.
Certainly there was a fierce struggle under which his soul writhed, and
which showed in a passing flush that crimsoned his face. That went by,
and an acceptance of doom sat upon him. He raised his head and looked
firmly at the leader, and as he did so his chest expanded and his
shoulders squared bravely.

"Captain," said he, with a very good voice, "whatever else I may be, I
am not a coward. I have cheated. In doing so I have betrayed the
confidence of all. I remember the terms of the compact. Will you kindly
summon the skipper?"

Without any change of countenance, the leader complied.

"Mr. Rossiter," he said to the skipper, "has a request to make of you,
and whatever it may be I authorize you to comply with it."

"I wish," asked Mr. Rossiter of the skipper, "that you would lower a
boat and put me aboard, and that you would furnish the boat with one
oar and nothing else whatever."

"Why," exclaimed the skipper, aghast, looking in dismay from one to
another of the men, "the man is insane! There is no land within five
hundred miles. We are in the tropics, and a man couldn't live four days
without food or water, and the sea is alive with sharks. Why, this is
suicide!"

The leader's face darkened, but before he could speak Mr. Rossiter
calmly remarked,--

"That is my own affair, sir;" and there was a fine ring in his voice.

* * * * *

The man in the boat, bareheaded and stripped nearly naked in the
broiling sun, was thus addressing something which he saw close at hand
in the water:

"Let me see. Yes, I think it is about four days now that we have
travelled together, but I am not very positive about that. You see, if
it hadn't been for you I should have died of loneliness.... Say! aren't
you hungry, too? I was a few days ago, but I'm only thirsty now. You've
got the advantage of me, because you don't get thirsty. As for your
being hungry--ha, ha, ha! Who ever heard of a shark that wasn't always
hungry? Oh, I know well enough what's in your mind, companion mine, but
there's time enough for that. I hate to disturb the pleasant relation
which exists between us at present. That is to say--now, here is a
witticism--I