you lay hands on me? I despise you,
you brute!"

He stepped back, his face crimson, his mouth twitching, all the fire
and mastery gone from his eyes. He had thought, poor fool, that she was
learning to care for him; for of late, in her game of self-defence, she
had treated him with evident consideration and many little attentions of
the voice and eyes. And now he understood. He saw the truth in every
flash of her eyes, in every line of brow, mouth and chin. He turned,
took the lantern from Cormick and strode from the house, with Bill and
Nick and their prisoner at his heels.

"Go down to the land-wash an' spy 'round for his boat," he said to
Cormick. "Turn out a couple o' men to help ye hunt for it--an' maybe
ye'll find some more o' these sneakin' robbers hangin' 'round the
harbor."

They carried Darling to the store, the skipper leading the way, and his
trusties swinging and hoisting their helpless burden by heels and
shoulders. They dropped him on the cold floor as if he had no more
feelings than a sack of hard bread.

"That bes all, lads," said the skipper. "Go help hunt for the boat now
an' shut the door behind ye. I'll jist be sayin' a few words to this
dirty spy afore I leaves him to his dreams."

Brennen and Leary turned and left the store without a word. They felt
vaguely uneasy, as if the great world of up-along had at last found them
out, and reached a menacing hand into their snug harbor. Would the
skipper be able to deal with so vast an enemy? If he killed this
stranger it would mean hanging by the neck, sooner or later--perhaps for
every man in the harbor? If he let him live, and held him a prisoner, it
would bring the law prying into their affairs, some time or other. Doubt
chilled them. They stumbled heavily away in the darkness.

The skipper held the lantern to his captive's face and regarded him with
wolfish, sneering attention. Soon the sneer faded a little.

"I's seed ye afore," he said. "Aye, sure as hell, I's seed ye afore!"

"And this is not the first time I've seen _your_ ugly mug, either,"
returned Darling. "I saw you the night the _Durham Castle_ came ashore
on this coast--the night you robbed the captain and the passengers.
Well, what are you going to do about it?"

"Ye'll larn that soon enough," returned the other. "Did ye get a letter
from--from her?"

"No," replied Darling, unable to see any danger in telling the truth of
that matter. "No, I didn't get any letter. I met a friend