like a perfect gentleman and treated us real handsome, until you began
with your foolery--and I must say I seen men shot for less, and nobody
sorry! What more do you expect anyway?'

Herrick rocked to and fro upon the sand, shaking his head.

'Guying us,' he said, 'he was guying us--only guying us; it's all we're
good for.'

'There was one queer thing, to be sure,' admitted the captain, with a
misgiving of the voice; 'that about the sherry. Damned if I caught on to
that. Say, Herrick, you didn't give me away?'

'Oh! give you away!' repeated Herrick with weary, querulous scorn. 'What
was there to give away? We're transparent; we've got rascal branded
on us: detected rascal--detected rascal! Why, before he came on board,
there was the name painted out, and he saw the whole thing. He made sure
we would kill him there and then, and stood guying you and Huish on the
chance. He calls that being frightened! Next he had me ashore; a fine
time I had! THE TWO WOLVES, he calls you and Huish.--WHAT IS THE PUPPY
DOING WITH THE TWO WOLVES? he asked. He showed me his pearls; he said
they might be dispersed before morning, and ALL HUNG BY A HAIr--and
smiled as he said it, such a smile! O, it's no use, I tell you! He knows
all, he sees through all; we only make him laugh with our pretences--he
looks at us and laughs like God!'

There was a silence. Davis stood with contorted brows, gazing into the
night.

'The pearls?' he said suddenly. 'He showed them to you? he has them?'

'No, he didn't show them; I forgot: only the safe they were in,' said
Herrick. 'But you'll never get them!'

'I've two words to say to that,' said the captain.

'Do you think he would have been so easy at table, unless he was
prepared?' cried Herrick. 'The servants were both armed. He was armed
himself; he always is; he told me. You will never deceive his vigilance.
Davis, I know it! It's all up; all up. There's nothing for it, there's
nothing to be done: all gone: life, honour, love. Oh, my God, my God,
why was I born?'

Another pause followed upon this outburst.

The captain put his hands to his brow.

'Another thing!' he broke out. 'Why did he tell you all this? Seems like
madness to me!'

Herrick shook his head with gloomy iteration. 'You wouldn't understand
if I were to tell you,' said he.

'I guess I can understand any blame' thing that you can tell me,' said
the captain.

'Well, then, he's a fatalist,' said Herrick.

'What's that, a fata