lling collar, and the hair coiled
low shone with lustrous sheen.

[Illustration: Opposite, smiling at him, as though they had breakfasted
together for years, was the radiant girl.]

Despite Dan's fears as to the manner in which their tenancy of the
derelict might terminate, he abandoned himself to the sheer charm of it
all. When he finally arose, ending a light, laughing conversation, the
girl regarded him seriously.

"Now, Captain," she said, "I want to ask you something, and you must
tell me truthfully. You have examined this vessel, and you have
doubtless some idea as to what we are to do. Tell me the exact
situation."

Dan looked her straight in the eye a moment, and the girl returned his
gaze unflinchingly.

"I am perfectly honest," she said; "I want you to be."

"Well," said Dan, "first of all I'll tell you what I am going to try to
do: I am going to try to sail this derelict into some port. There is
enough of the mainmast standing to allow some sort of a sail, and we
can't be so terribly far from land. Besides, this hold is filled with
logwood and mahogany. Now this is a valuable cargo, worth at least
fifty thousand dollars. The vessel herself isn't worth a great deal,
but still something. Here is the point: if we take this vessel into
port alone we can claim fifty per cent salvage, and we'll get it, too.
That means that we shall net, through our little experience, some
twenty-five thousand dollars between us."

Virginia stepped toward him with a delighted exclamation. Dan raised
his hand admonishingly.

"But," he continued, "we must first get the vessel into port. Several
things may prevent this. The chief preventive will be a storm. If God
gives us good weather for three or four days that is all I ask. If He
doesn't, then we--"

"Go on," said the girl.

"Then we must simply pray for small favors."

Virginia nodded gravely.

"I understand," she said. "I trust you, Captain." She looked at him
fixedly. "Can you imagine how much I trust you? I shall be strong and
brave and do exactly as you tell me." She started forward suddenly.
"What have you under your coat sleeves? Are your arms bandaged?" she
cried. "And your neck, too?"

Dan laughed.

"It's nothing," he said. "My hands and arms and the back of my neck
were pretty well scorched. I dug some picric acid out of the Captain's
medicine chest and tied myself up a bit. I am all right now. The pain
has all disappeared."

T