excited voices, and the movement of feet on the deck above their head. He
left her, curled up on the cushioned bench, with the gay ribbon in her
hands, and went out through the main cabin, and up the companion. He had
been trying, clumsily enough, to make friends with Priss; but she was
very much on her dignity that morning....

When his head rose above the level of the cabin skylight, he saw a group
of men near the rail, amidships. Finch, and Hooper, and old Aaron
Burnham, and two of the harpooners, all pressing close about another
man.... Finch obscured this other man from Joel's view, until he climbed
up on deck. Then he saw that the other man was his brother.

He went forward to join them; and it chanced that at first no one of them
looked in his direction. Mark's back was half-turned; but Joel could see
that his brother was lean, and bronzed by the sun. And he wore no hat,
and his thick, black hair was rumpled and wild. The white shirt that he
wore was open at the throat above his brown neck. His arms were bare to
the elbows. His chest was like a barrel. There was a splendor of strength
and vigor about the man, in the very look of him, and in his eye, and his
voice, and his laughter. He seemed to shine, like the sun....

Joel, as he came near them, heard Mark laugh throatily at something Finch
had said; and he heard Finch say unctuously: "Be sure, Captain Shore,
every man aboard here is damned glad you've come back to us. You were
missed, missed sore, sir."

Mark laughed again, at that; and he clapped Jim's fat shoulder. The
action swung him around so that he saw Joel for the first time. Joel
thrust out his hand.

"Mark, man! They said you were dead," he exclaimed.

Mark Shore's eyes narrowed for an instant, in a quick, appraising
scrutiny of his brother. "Dead?" he laughed, jeeringly. "Do I look dead?"
He stared at Joel more closely, glanced at the other men, and chuckled.
"By the Lord, kid," he cried, "I believe old Asa has put you in my
shoes."

Joel nodded. "He gave me command of the _Nathan Ross_. Yes."

Mark looked sidewise at big Jim Finch, and grinned. "Over your head, eh,
Jim? Too damned bad!"

Finch grinned. "I had no wish for the place, sir. You see, I felt very
sure you would be coming back to your own."

Mark tilted back his head and laughed. "You were always a very cautious
man, Jim Finch. Never jumped till you were sure where you would land." He
wheeled on Joel. "Well, boy--how does it fe