he best; and I would have given
a good handful of dollars for a plain answer to the questions which
I dared not put. Had I dared, with the present danger signal in the
captain's face, I should only have been reminded of my position as
supercargo--an office never touched upon in kindness--and advised, in
a very indigestible manner, to go below. There was nothing for it,
therefore, but to entertain my vague apprehensions as best I should be
able, until it pleased the captain to enlighten me of his own accord.
This he did sooner than I had expected; as soon, indeed, as the Chinaman
had summoned us to breakfast, and we sat face to face across the narrow
board.

"See here, Mr. Dodd," he began, looking at me rather queerly, "here is a
business point arisen. This sea's been running up for the last two days,
and now it's too high for comfort. The glass is falling, the wind is
breezing up, and I won't say but what there's dirt in it. If I lay her
to, we may have to ride out a gale of wind and drift God knows where--on
these French Frigate Shoals, for instance. If I keep her as she goes,
we'll make that island to-morrow afternoon, and have the lee of it to
lie under, if we can't make out to run in. The point you have to figure
on, is whether you'll take the big chances of that Captain Trent making
the place before you, or take the risk of something happening. I'm
to run this ship to your satisfaction," he added, with an ugly sneer.
"Well, here's a point for the supercargo."

"Captain," I returned, with my heart in my mouth, "risk is better than
certain failure."

"Life is all risk, Mr. Dodd," he remarked. "But there's one thing: it's
now or never; in half an hour, Archdeacon Gabriel couldn't lay her to,
if he came down stairs on purpose."

"All right," said I. "Let's run."

"Run goes," said he; and with that he fell to breakfast, and passed half
an hour in stowing away pie and devoutly wishing himself back in San
Francisco.

When we came on deck again, he took the wheel from Johnson--it appears
they could trust none among the hands--and I stood close beside him,
feeling safe in this proximity, and tasting a fearful joy from our
surroundings and the consciousness of my decision. The breeze had
already risen, and as it tore over our heads, it uttered at times a
long hooting note that sent my heart into my boots. The sea pursued
us without remission, leaping to the assault of the low rail. The
quarter-deck was all awash, and