armth shot through his veins,
soothing him, to his surprise. He returned the glass and grinned up at
Gordon. Already the heat seemed less oppressive, the outside sounds more
lulling.

"That's fine stuff, Gordon. Some class to our hospital. Glad to see
you've benefited by it too. But when do our fair nurses come on duty
again?" His eyes drooped, and Gordon regarded him with a smile of
understanding.

"Oh, very soon, very soon, Little. I'm only lending a hand while they
attend to your crew. You were supposed to be asleep, or I would not have
come inside. Now sleep, man, sleep. When you wake up, one of the ladies
will be here."

Gordon gazed into Little's dulling eyes, and as he watched, his head was
bent alertly as if to catch outside sounds. Voices were heard
approaching, and Gordon started with faint alarm as Little's eyes opened
wide. The next minute a peaceful grin overspread the sufferer's face,
the wide eyes closed, and Little fell into a deep, healing sleep.

And into the hut stepped Vandersee, silent as a great cat, and with him
two other men in uniform,--naval uniform and legitimate this time. A
silent question was flashed at Gordon, and he nodded relievedly; then
Vandersee stepped over and peered at Barry, giving a deft and tender
touch here and there to displaced bandages. For a long moment the big
Hollander regarded the sleeping skipper, then moved over to Little's cot
and repeated the scrutiny. His blond face was soft and serious, his
large round eyes glowed with pity. He turned at length to his
companions, and they saluted him with deep respect.

"This would be only well repaid if we permitted Captain Barry to fix the
payment," he murmured to them. "Such fiendish barbarity deserves payment
in kind; and if it were only an official matter, gentlemen, I would
gladly send you and your men away and stand by while settlement was
made. As it is, I cannot permit these men to rob me of Leyden. That foul
devil is mine by all the laws of God and Justice."

Gordon stood by, his gaze fixed full on Vandersee, his face alight with
the fervor of high hope. When the Hollander paused, Gordon moistened his
lips and whispered:

"Mine too, Hendrik! Can't you let me do this? I'm fit now, a man again.
Let him be mine."

Vandersee smiled back, compassionately and understandingly, and laid a
tremendous hand on Gordon's shoulder.

"I know, old fellow, I know," he said. "Nobody knows as I do. But half
of our vengeance woul