It's pretty wet," he remarked, "but the ink ain't run any. A little
dryin' out is all it needs."

And with Ward shouting fearful imprecations at him over the heads
of the group about the fire, he proceeded calmly to warm the check,
turning first one side and then the other to the blaze.

"If you try to grab that," bawled Hiram, who was squatting beside
the Cap'n, eying him earnestly in his task, "I'll break in your head."
Then he nudged the elbow of the Cap'n, who had remained apparently
oblivious of his presence. "Aaron," he muttered, "there's been some
things between us to-night that I wish hadn't been. But I'm
quick-tempered, and I ain't used to the sea, and what I done was on
the spur of the moment. But I've shown that I'm your friend, and I'll
do more to show--"

"Hiram," broke in the Cap'n, and his tone was severe, "mutiny ain't
easy overlooked. But considerin' that your elephant has squared
things for you, we'll let it stand as settled. But don't ever talk
about it. I'm havin' too hard work to control my feelin's."

And then, looking up from the drying check, he fixed the vociferous
Colonel with flaming eyes.

"Did ye hear me make a remark about my feelin's?" he rasped. "Your
business and my business has been settled, and here's the paper to
show for it." He slapped his hand across the check. "I didn't come
back here to talk it over." He gulped down his wrathful memory of
the reasons that had brought him. "You've bought Bodge. You've bought
Cap Kidd's treasure, wherever it is. You're welcome to Bodge and to
the treasure. And, controllin' Bodge as you do, you'd better let him
make you up another fire off some little ways from this one, because
this one ain't big enough for you and me both." The Cap'n's tone was
significant. There was stubborn menace there, also. After gazing for
a time on Sproul's uncompromising face and on the check so
tantalizingly displayed before the blaze, Colonel Ward turned and
went away. Ten minutes later a rival blaze mounted to the heavens
from a distant part of Cod Lead Nubble. Half an hour later Mr. Bodge
came as an emissary. He brought the gage of battle and flung it down
and departed instantly.

"Colonel Ward says for me to say to you," he announced, "that he'll
bet a thousand dollars you don't dare to hand that check into any
bank."

"And you tell him I'll bet five thousand dollars," bellowed the Cap'n,
"that I not only dare to cash it, but that I'll get to a bank and
do i