pected
right away. At least, he didn't want the loss noticed at once."

"So Mr. Peth's got an automatic gun, eh?" said Jarrow, rather in a
musing way, and drawing a deep breath.

"I might not have missed it for days," went on Trask, "but I had
two, and----"

"Two!"

"I had a pair of them."

"And Peth got away with both of 'em!"

"No, only one. I have the other, and Mr. Locke has two. I went down
to oil mine after Peth moved out, and found one gone when----"

"Then we're all right," said Jarrow. "If you and Mr. Locke brought
guns we don't need to worry. I've got a couple, myself. I guess we
can handle anything that carries away for'ard here."

"Why did you move the lantern?" demanded Trask.

"Oh," said Jarrow, "I had a mind to take it down so they couldn't
find their way back to the schooner till mornin' unless it cleared
up in good shape. But it won't clear. Smells like more rain."

"I think it's a good scheme," said Trask. "Let 'em stay off in the
boat. Then we'll put Peth in irons when he comes aboard in the
morning if we think he's been up to mischief, or plans trouble. We
can handle the others. We can't take any chances with Miss Locke
aboard."

"You're right!" said Jarrow. "I'll douse the glim and let 'em stay.
If they want to cut up any didoes we can work the _Nuestra_ back to
Manila ourselves and the government'll take care of 'em for us."

Jarrow clumped down off the forecastle head and lowered the
lantern, clapped his sou'wester over it, and snuffed the flame out
between his fingers. Trask observed the grimness of his face as the
light played on it during the brief instant the lantern was coming
down and the determined set of his jaw as his teeth gripped the
cigar.

They stood in the darkness, silent for a few minutes, listening,
and caught again the rattle of oars in locks at quite a distance.
The boat seemed to be moving about cautiously, feeling its way in
behind the reef.

"I can't make out what the devil they're up to," said Jarrow in a
grumbling sort of whisper. "Peth never did have much sense.
Sometimes I've thought he was clean out of his head."

"Then you've had doubts about him since we left Manila?"

"No, can't say's I have. I don't pay no attention to his tantrums
gene'lly. He's up and he's down, just how he feels. But he picked
this crew from a lot of his old shipmates so they'll stand by him
if he's set on makin' trouble, and he knows it. I didn't like the
looks of things to