for a time preserved a profound silence.

"All right," said Carter at last. "I will stick to your brig as though
she were my own; but I would like to see clear through all this. Look
here--you are going off somewhere? Alone, you said?"

"Yes. Alone."

"Very well. Mind, then, that you don't come back with a crowd of those
brown friends of yours--or by the Heavens above us I won't let you come
within hail of your own ship. Am I to keep this key?"

"Captain Lingard," said Mrs. Travers suddenly. "Would it not be better
to tell him everything?"

"Tell him everything?" repeated Lingard. "Everything! Yesterday it might
have been done. Only yesterday! Yesterday, did I say? Only six hours
ago--only six hours ago I had something to tell. You heard it. And now
it's gone. Tell him! There's nothing to tell any more." He remained for
a time with bowed head, while before him Mrs. Travers, who had begun a
gesture of protest, dropped her arms suddenly. In a moment he looked up
again.

"Keep the key," he said, calmly, "and when the time comes step forward
and take charge. I am satisfied."

"I would like to see clear through all this though," muttered Carter
again. "And for how long are you leaving us, Captain?" Lingard made no
answer. Carter waited awhile. "Come, sir," he urged. "I ought to have
some notion. What is it? Two, three days?" Lingard started.

"Days," he repeated. "Ah, days. What is it you want to know? Two . . .
three--what did the old fellow say--perhaps for life." This was spoken
so low that no one but Carter heard the last words.--"Do you mean it?"
he murmured. Lingard nodded.--"Wait as long as you can--then go," he
said in the same hardly audible voice. "Go where?"--"Where you like,
nearest port, any port."--"Very good. That's something plain at any
rate," commented the young man with imperturbable good humour.

"I go, O Hassim!" began Lingard and the Malay made a slow inclination of
the head which he did not raise again till Lingard had ceased speaking.
He betrayed neither surprise nor any other emotion while Lingard in a
few concise and sharp sentences made him acquainted with his purpose to
bring about singlehanded the release of the prisoners. When Lingard had
ended with the words: "And you must find a way to help me in the time of
trouble, O Rajah Hassim," he looked up and said:

"Good. You never asked me for anything before."

He smiled at his white friend. There was something subtle in the smile
and a