in which the sealer lay. The _Karluk's_ decks were deserted, though
there was smoke coming from the galley stovepipe.

"Simms is likely to be aboard," went on the other. "Ye see, I know his
ways. An' I've come a long trip to see him. Nigh missed him. Only got in
from Seattle this mornin'. He ain't expectin' me, an' it's in my mind to
surprise him. By way of a joke. I don't want to be announced, ye see.
Just drop in on him. How's the deck? Clear?"

"No one in sight," said Rainey.

"Fine! Mates an' crew down the Barb'ry Coast, I reckon. Sealers have
liberties last shore-day. Like whalers. I've buried a few irons myself,
matey, but I'll never sight the vapor of a right whale ag'in. Stranded,
I am. So you'll do me a favor, matey, an' pilot me down into the cabin,
if so be the skipper's there. If he ain't, I'll wait for him. I've got
the right an' run o' the _Karluk's_ cabin. I know ev'ry inch of her.
You'll see when we go aboard. Let's go."

Rainey led him down the gangway to the deck of the sealer, still
cluttered a bit with unstowed gear. Once on board, the blind man seemed
to walk with assurance, guiding himself with touches here and there that
showed his familiarity with the vessel's rig. And he no longer shuffled,
but walked lightly, grinning at Rainey through his beard, with one blunt
forefinger set to his mouth as he approached the cabin skylight, lifted
on the port side. Through it came the murmur of voices. The blind man
nodded in satisfaction and widened his grin with a warning "hush-h" to
his guide.

"We'll fool 'em proper," he lipped rather than uttered.

The companion doors were closed, but they opened noiselessly. The stairs
were carpeted with corrugated rubber that muffled all sound. Two men sat
at the cabin table, leaning forward, hands and forearms outstretched,
fingering something. One Rainey recognized as the captain, Simms--a
heavy, square-built man, gray-haired, clean-shaven, his flesh tanned,
yet somehow unhealthy, as if the bronze was close to tarnishing. There
were deep puffs under the gray tired eyes.

The other was younger, tall, nervously active, with dark eyes and a dark
mustache and beard, the latter trimmed to a Vandyke. Between them was a
long slim sack of leather, a miner's poke. It was half full of something
that stuffed its lower extremity solid, without doubt the same substance
that glistened in the mouth of the sack and the palms of the two
men--gold--coarse dust of gold!

Rain