t all to lose. I'm
only a broken diver. Nobody ever called me 'Honest' Selden or 'Honest'
anything else!"

His wrists stiffened as Wetherbee took a step.

"You mean to blow, you wasp?"

"You won't make me. Blow! That's no good to me: I mean to get level.
Halvers, I said--captain.... I'm in!"

"On what?"

"On your new speculation, of course." He came very close to capering.
"Your latest deviltry. Don't I know your little methods? D'you think I
couldn't smell it out? Public character, no suspicion, traces all
removed--alibi all complete--_and_ a clear road to the back door.

"You sneaked your crew out of town to-night. Your lugger's ready to slip
cable. You've been hobnobbing all evening with the pilot you camped
along with on Friday Island for two weeks--that had the _Opalton_--by
George, I believe it was you made him a sot on the sly! I wouldn't put
it past you. You used to gammon us the same way on your cursed week-end
sprees. Don't I _know_? Haven't I _reason_ to know?

"But you needn't have pumped him so close. I could have told you days
ago what she takes aboard of her this trip."...

"The hell you could!"

"Pearls: the season's sweep. Twenty thousand pounds' worth of pearls!"
recited Selden. "Eh? Twenty thousand--and I've got you by the short
hairs!" His eyes shone in the moonlight with a fanatic gleam. "_Thus
saith the Lord God; An adversary there shall be, and he shall bring down
thy strength from thee!_"

* * * * *

Then Captain Wetherbee relaxed and laughed in his chest to match the
note of the reef. "Blackmail and piracy! My colonial oath, deacon, I
never saw your beat. So you've dropped to me! I go bail you asked a
blessing on the enterprise!"

Selden did not deny it.

"Let's hear the rest," urged Wetherbee, while his chuckle echoed the lap
of waves among dark pilings. "What's your notion? Did you picture me
sticking up the consignors as they walk aboard the plank and passing you
your share in a little hand bag?"

The deacon shuffled nervously.

"It can't matter how you do it."

"Can't it? Now, don't you go disappointing me." He stole a step nearer.
"Those pearls have been locked in the strong room of the Brisbane
steamer since early afternoon. Now then. How the devil am I--are we--to
nab 'em? Come! You're the little personal Providence in this affair, at
50 per cent. Don't tell me with all your knowing you didn't know
_that_!"

"It's your deliver," said