ale
compass in the ceiling, that the sun was low toward the west.

The main cabin was well appointed in hardwood, with red cushions on the
transoms and a creeping plant or so hanging here and there. A canary
chirped up and broke into rolling song. It was all homy, innocuous. Yet
he had been drugged at the same table not so long before. And now he was
pledged a share of ungathered gold. It was a far cry back to his desk in
the _Times_ office.

A Japanese entered, sturdy, of white-clad figure, deft, polite,
incurious. He had brought in some ham and eggs, strong coffee, sliced
canned peaches, bread and butter. He served as Rainey ate heartily,
feeling his old self coming back with the food, especially with the
coffee.

"Thanks, Tamada," he said as he pushed aside his plate at last.

"Everything arright, sir?" purred the Japanese.

Rainey nodded. The "sir" was reassuring. He was accepted as a somebody
aboard the _Karluk_. Tamada cleared away swiftly, and Rainey felt for
his own cigarettes. He hesitated a little to smoke in the cabin,
thinking of the girl, wondering whether she was on deck, where he
intended to go. Some one was snoring in a stateroom off the cabin, and
he fancied by its volume it was Lund.

It was a divided ship's company, after all. For he knew that Lund,
handicapped with his blindness, would live perpetually suspicious of
Simms. And the doctor was against Lund. Rainey's own position was a
paradox.

He started for the companionway, and a slight sound made him turn, to
face the girl. She looked at him casually as Rainey, to his annoyance,
flushed.

"Good afternoon," said Rainey. "Are you going on deck?"

It was not a clever opening, but she seemed to rob him of wit, to an
extent. He had yet to know how she stood concerning his presence aboard.
Did she countenance the forcible kidnapping of him as a possible
tattler? Or--?

"My father tells me you have decided to go with us," she said,
pleasantly enough, but none too cordially, Rainey thought.

"Doctor Carlsen helped me to my decision."

She did not seem to regard this as a thrust, but stood lightly swaying
to the pitch of the vessel, regarding him with grave eyes of appraisal.

"You have not been well," she said. "I hope you are better. Have you
eaten?"

Rainey began to think that she was ignorant of the facts. And he made up
his mind to ignore them. There was nothing to be gained by telling her
things against her father--much less against