te heat. There was
no escape possible that day, none probable on the morrow. And still the
stores were running out!

Then came over Davis, from deep down in the roots of his being, or at
least from far back among his memories of childhood and innocence, a
wave of superstition. This run of ill-luck was something beyond natural;
the chances of the game were in themselves more various: it seemed as if
the devil must serve the pieces. The devil? He heard again the clear
note of Attwater's bell ringing abroad into the night, and dying away.
How if God...?

Briskly he averted his mind. Attwater: that was the point. Attwater had
food and a treasure of pearls; escape made possible in the present,
riches in the future. They must come to grips with Attwater; the man
must die. A smoky heat went over his face, as he recalled the impotent
figure he had made last night, and the contemptuous speeches he must
bear in silence. Rage, shame, and the love of life, all pointed the one
way; and only invention halted: how to reach him? had he strength
enough? was there any help in that misbegotten packet of bones against
the house?

His eyes dwelled upon him with a strange avidity, as though he would
read into his soul; and presently the sleeper moved, stirred uneasily,
turned suddenly round, and threw him a blinking look. Davis maintained
the same dark stare, and Huish looked away again and sat up.

"Lord, I've an 'eadache on me!" said he. "I believe I was a bit swipey
last night. W'ere's that cry-byby 'Errick?"

"Gone," said the captain.

"Ashore?" cried Huish. "O, I say! I'd 'a gone too."

"Would you?" said the captain.

"Yes, I would," replied Huish. "I like Attwater. 'E's all right; we got
on like one o'clock when you were gone. And ain't his sherry in it,
rather? It's like Spiers and Pond's Amontillado! I wish I 'ad a drain of
it now." He sighed.

"Well, you'll never get no more of it--that's one thing," said Davis
gravely.

"'Ere, wot's wrong with you, Dyvis? Coppers 'ot? Well, look at _me_! _I_
ain't grumpy," said Huish; "I'm as plyful as a canary-bird, I am."

"Yes," said Davis, "you're playful; I own that; and you were playful
last night, I believe, and a damned fine performance you made of it."

"'Allo!" said Huish. "'Ow's this? Wot performance?"

"Well, I'll tell you," said the captain, getting slowly off the rail.

And he did: at full length, with every wounding epithet and absurd
detail repeated and emphasised;