n't in favor of that. Said Lund
found the gold, an' ought to have an ekal share with the rest. An'
they're feelin' diff'runt about you, sir, since you saved me. Not becoz
it was me, but becoz it was what Deming calls a damn plucky thing to
do."

"How did you learn all this?" demanded Rainey.

"Scraps, sir. Here an' there. The sailors gams about it nights when
they thinks I'm asleep in the fo'c's'le. An' I keeps my ears open when I
waits on the hunters. But they ain't goin' to give you no share becoz
you warn't in on the original deal. But they ain't goin' to maroon you,
neither, unless Lund bucks an' you stand back of him."

"How about Captain Simms?"

"Carlsen sez he'll answer for him, sir. He boasts how he's goin' to
marry the gal. That'll giv' him three shares--countin' the skipper's.
The men don't see that, but I did. He's a bloody fox, is Carlsen."

"When's this coming off?" asked Rainey.

"Quick! They're goin' to sight land ter-morrer, they say. I heard that
this mornin'. I hid in my bunk. It heads ag'inst the wall of the
hunters' mess an', if it's quiet, you can hear what they say.

"They ain't goin' in to Bering Strait through Unimak Pass. They're goin'
in through Amukat or Seguam Pass. An' they'll put it up to Lund an' the
skipper somewheres close by there. An' that's where you two'll get put
off, if you don't fall in line."

"All right, Sandy. You're smarter than I thought you were. Sure of all
this?"

"I ain't much to look at, sir, but I ain't had to buck my own way
without gittin' on ter myself. You won't give me away, though? They'd
keelhaul me."

"I won't. You cut along. And if we happen to come out on top, Sandy,
I'll see that you get a share out of it."

"Thank you, sir."

"I'll come out with you," said Rainey. "If any one comes in before you
get clear, I'll give you an order. I sent for you, understand."

But Sandy got back into the galley without any trouble. Rainey began to
pace the cabin again, and then went back into his own room to line the
thing up. Lund was asleep, but he would waken him, he decided, filled
with admiration at the blind man's sagacity and the way he had foreseen
the general situation.

There was not much time to lose. He did not see what they could do
against the proposition. He was sure that Lund would not consent to it.
And he might have some plan. He had hinted that he had cards up his
sleeve.

What Carlsen's ultimate plans were Rainey did not bother himself