Hurricane Island

and'

he figure of little Pye spran

s voice. I stayed. "Doctor, I

as blue; the eyes themselves were bloodshot, and hi

ue funk, Pye,"

tor. But for heaven's sake let me go down to my

n and drink to

pleaded. "I've never seen-I'm not fitted for this. Oh, doctor, I've

fingers quavered with the glasses on his nose. I took a pity fo

, and I'll make it all right.

way like a rabbit, and I sou

he. "Well, i

aid. "He's in a dead funk, and

se wrinkled in s

" he said. "He's part of a man, at any rate.

, to say the truth, Holgate puzzl

. "Because it's a frontal attack all the way and a costly business. If it's a case o

ut Holgate isn't exactly particula

he echoed

flag. Why shouldn't

ay you nay, but-look here, there's risk, Phillimore. You say Holga

dn't he push the assault? Why doesn't he now? No, Holgate's not all plain and easy. It's not like reading print. I'm hanged if I know what he's up to, but whatever i

btfully. "You're on duty

d another thing, Barraclough, there's

ding, and unlocked the door. I had provided myself with a

gently as she ran down the coastline under a full head of steam. Above me I could discern also the white spread of her wings, and from the look of the long white water that leaped and fell off her

trangely out of accord with those terrible transactions of the night, that I stared in wonder. Then my eyes went to the bridge and marked something more in keeping with the situation, for the bridge had been boarded about in the rear and sides with a wall of timber, so t

the deck and hailed the f

lled out. "I wish to see him

ecognised as Gray. They exchanged words, and I knew also from a sound overhead that some one was peering at me from t

on, do

d, indicating me, and Holgate stood passively looking at me. Suddenly the ex-boatswain put his hand in his pocket, pulled out a revolver a

in time, wasn't I? Step along down there." I moved towards th

e said with a quizzical look. "But I won't have any firing on a fla

rude and savage joke that was on the margin of tragedy, and might have gone over the border. But what would he care, this infamous man of a

ould have had me but for you, and now Pierce yonder would have

ed to take him in his own way, "then the Pr

rently. "I don't want him. I want his safe. What's a Prince or two?" He

hance of that," I answered.

out, "Pierce, Gray, come here. Just listen to the whoop

atement that there is no chance

ood for them. Well, let 'em alone, doctor. Let 'em stew in their juice. Th

yes, an unpleasing sight. It was clear who was master here. Holgate

e to borrow some of our provisions? Strikes me you're a bit fond of the forecast

d been the feint of shooting at me. He was playing to an audience, and that audience a gallery that dealt

Mr. Holgate. We had a sec

Have; not, of course, on activ

od as the clown in a circus to his

ee, I got him just so." He put both hands together in a comprehensive gesture, "and it interfered with his verte

my professional capacity, Holgate chatting the while very wheezily in my ear. A

game-but as a guarantee of good faith, as one might say. You see I feel responsible for you, and if some one with an imperf

from one of his men a

ation that he was aware of my presence, though they were wide open, and, I confess, I was alarmed to see his condition. It looked like death. I felt his pulse, and examined him, and all the time his eyes were on me unwavering. H

that one of them closed sharply and opened again. But at the mome

p, and stood up, loo

crack,"

aid Holgate, unperturbed. "I'm sorry. I bear Leg

" I said. "But I should like

g as I command this ship. Fly a flag and I'll see there's no reigning p

een an adequate reason for leaving the strong-room untouched? Again, when he had offered terms, had he not known that we could not accept them, and why had he conducted himself with such easy insolence as to prevent us from accepting them had we been disposed to do so? This problem frankly baffled me. But the other thought was more consolatory. I was convinced that Legrand was not much injured, and

laughter. It was Ellison who let me in, but the laughter did not proceed from him. Half-way down the corridor was Sir John in animat

ith amiable patronage. "I though it was all up when I h

ly in her pretty English. "I know the

t, and her admirable voice seemed to encompass us in its sympathy.

erhaps not for long. We may have a surprise in store for us. At any rate,

and dead," broke out Mademoisell

n due time," sa

, doctor, is there any dang

deliberate, and

little at pre

you shall have time to play with

t was time to reliev