or, I did you less than justice just now,"
he said quickly. "But I have had my troubles."

I picked myself up slowly. "I will now resume," I said, smiling.

"If you are able," he said doubtfully, and then, "Heavens, I should
like just one hour of sleep."

"You shall sleep till eight bells, I promise you," I answered, and once
more I took the syringe.

He sighed as if in anticipation. "Doctor," he said, as he lay back.
"Not a word of this. We must talk about the other thing. I don't like
my officers. I'll tackle this question to-morrow. There's something in
it."

I bade him "good night," and left with the conviction that in the
difficulties before us Captain Day would count for little. To face such
emergencies as I felt must now be faced we had no need of a neurotic
subject.

Nevertheless I was mistaken in one particular. Day sent for me next
morning, and I found him in quite a brisk, cheerful state. He did not
allude to what had occurred between us, but came straight to the
subject of the plot.

"Nothing has happened, doctor," he said.

I knew nothing could happen, for the disappearance of Adams meant that
the conspirators were not ready with their plans. Otherwise they would
not have been so determined to rob me of my evidence. This I explained,
and he listened attentively.

"You see the difficulty," he said at last. "There is no corroboration
of your story, and I can take no action. I will have an inquiry into
Adams's disappearance, of course, but I fear nothing will come of it."
He rubbed his hands nervously. "I wish to God it would."

This was astounding from the man, but, as I looked into his eyes, I
could see how deeply his nervous system had been shocked, and once more
I despaired of such a captain in such circumstances. I carried my
misgivings to Legrand, with whom the events of the night had seemed to
bring me in closer relationship.

"The old man's all right," he said. "A better seaman doesn't exist.
There's nothing he doesn't know."

"Except human nature," said I.

"Well, that may be. But who knows much about that?" said the second
officer, setting his sextant. "You say we're slumbering over a volcano.
I daresay we are. It's more or less what we're paid to do, and take all
risks. Things are quiet enough now, anyway."

Was this another sceptic, where I had sought to find an ally?

"I am used by this to ridicule," I began drily.

"Who on earth is ridiculing you?" he asked. "You have only gi