at anchor, our deck barely awash, before the
deserted beach of Mercer's estate. Still feeling none too well, Mercer
and I made our way to the narrow deck.

Captain Bonnett was waiting for us, spruce in his blue uniform, his
shoulders bowed as always.

"Good morning, gentlemen," he offered, smiling crisply. "The open air
seems good, doesn't it?"

It did. There was a fresh breeze blowing in from the Atlantic, and I
filled my lungs gratefully. I had not realized until that instant just
how foul the air below had been.

"Very fine, Captain," said Mercer, nodding. "You have signaled the men
on shore to send out a boat to take us off?"

"Yes, sir; I believe they're launching her now."

"And the chart of our course--did the return trip check with the
other?"

"Perfectly, sir." Captain Bonnett reached in an inner pocket of his
double-breasted coat, extracted two folded pages, and extended them,
with a little bow, to Mercer.

Just as Mercer's eager fingers touched the precious papers, however,
the wind whisked them from Bonnett's grasp and whirled them into the
water.

Bonnett gasped and gazed after them for a split second; then, barely
pausing to tear off his coat, he plunged over the side.

* * * * *

He tried desperately, but before he could reach either one of the
tossing white specks, they were washed beneath the surface and
disappeared. Ten minutes later, his uniform bedraggled and shapeless,
he pulled himself on deck.

"I'm sorry, sir," he gasped, out of breath. "Sorrier than I can say. I
tried--"

Mercer, white-faced and struggling with his emotions, looked down and
turned away.

"You don't remember the bearings, I suppose?" he ventured tonelessly.

"I'm sorry--no."

"Thank you, Captain, for trying so hard to recover the papers," said
Mercer. "You'd better change at once; the wind is sharp."

* * * * *

The captain bowed and disappeared down the conning tower. Then Mercer
turned to me, and a smile struggled for life.

"Well, Taylor, we helped her out, anyway," he said slowly. "I'm sorry
that--that Imee will misunderstand when we don't come back."

"But, Mercer," I said swiftly, "perhaps we'll be able to find our way
back to her. You thought before, you know, that--"

"But I can see now what an utterly wild-goose chase it would have
been." Mercer shook his head slowly. "No, old friend, it would be
impossible. And--Imee will not come