laxed artery jumping in my throat painfully.

"By thunder, doctor, you were near gone," went on Holgate in his
ruminating voice. "Pierce don't take his fingers off no more than a
bull-dog when he has once caught on. Lucky I had a suspicion of you. I
thought no one would be such a fool as to venture save you. Glad to see
you as always, if unexpectedly. Any news?"

He lighted a cigar as he spoke, and the fog was roseate about his head.
I recovered my breath as best I might.

"As you are reserving us--Holgate, for a destiny of your own," I
panted, "and we are not--particularly anxious to anticipate it--thought
I would find out--if we are going down."

He laughed fatly. "I like you, doctor. Upon my soul I do. It's a real
pity we couldn't have hit it off. No; you can sleep calmly. There's no
going down; well, not yet. I've been through these Straits a score of
times, and in all weathers, and I've learned this much, that a fog
spells the red flag. That's all, Dr. Phillimore. She's got no more than
steering way on her, and I'll pull her up presently."

"Well," said I. "I suppose it matters nothing to us, but a wreck is a
frightening matter this weather."

He seemed to be studying me, and then laughed. "All serene. If you have
made up your mind to your fate there's nothing to be said. But I'm in
charge here, and not Sir John Barraclough. I suppose he has some use,
but I've not made it out up till now."

"Holgate," said I suddenly, "this vessel's in your hands till she's out
of the Straits, if she's ever out. I don't deny it. But I should like a
little further light on destiny, so to speak. You reckon you can take
the safes. What more do you want?"

"Nothing in the world, my lad," he said comfortably. "You've hit it.
Nothing in the wide, wide world."

"Rubbish!" said I sharply. "Does any one suppose you're going to turn
loose witnesses against you?"

He took the cigar from his mouth, and, though I could not discern his
face in the fog, I knew its expression.

"Well, now, that's a new idea, and not a bad idea," he said equably.
"Of course I should be running a risk, shouldn't I? But what's to be
done in conflict with a temperament like mine? I can't help myself.
Take your oath on one thing, doctor, and that is I'll die game. If the
respectable folk whom I take pity on and land somewhere--somewhere
nice--turn on me, why, I'll die game. But of course they won't. You
know they won't, doctor."

This question was not wo