t and the darkness come down again, the air still and very cold.

But he was snug and warm, and bethought himself of what he must
undertake on the morrow. If he continued inland long enough he would
surely come to somebody, and at dawn, taking an ample supply of
provisions, he would start. That purpose settled, he let his mind
rest, and remained in a luxurious position on the deck. The rebound
from the hopeless case in which he had seemed to be was so great that
he was not lonely. He had instead a wholly pervading sense of ease and
security. His imagination was able to find beauty in the sand and the
bushes and the salt marshes, and he did not need imagination at all to
discover it in the great, mysterious ocean, which the moon was now
tinting with silver. It was a fine full moon, shedding its largest
supply of beams, and swarms of bright stars sparkled in the cold, blue
skies. A fine night, thought Robert, suited to his fine future.

It was very late, when he went down to the captain's cabin, ate a
little more food and turned in. He soon slept, but not needing sleep
much now, he awoke at dawn. His awakening may have been hastened by
the footsteps and voices he heard, but in any event he rose softly and
buckled on his sword and pistols. One of the voices, high and sharp,
he recognized, and he believed that once more he was the child of good
fortune, because he had been awakened in time.

He sat on the couch, facing the door, put the sword by his side and
held one of the pistols, cocked and resting on his knee. The footsteps
and voices came nearer, and then the keen, cruel face appeared at the
door.

"Good morning, captain," said Robert, equably. "You left me in
command of the ship and I did my best with her. I couldn't keep her
afloat, and so I ran her up here on the beach, where, as you see, she
is still habitable."

"You're a good seaman, Peter," said the captain, hiding any surprise
that he may have felt, "but you haven't obeyed my orders in full. I
expected you to keep the ship afloat, and you haven't done so."

"That was too much to expect. I see that you have two men with
you. Tell them to step forward where I can cover them as well as you
with the muzzle of this pistol. That's right. Now, I'm going to
confide in you."

"Go ahead, Peter."

"I haven't liked your manner for a long time, captain. I'm only Peter
Smith, a humble seaman, but since you left me in command of the ship
last night I mean to keep th