ctivity and presence of mind in San Francisco, and
the whole horrid tale was blotted out; and Wicks again became Kirkup,
and Goddedaal became Carthew--men beyond all shot of possible suspicion,
men who had never heard of the _Flying Scud_, who had never been in
sight of Midway Reef.

So they came alongside, under many craning heads of seamen and
projecting mouths of guns; so they climbed on board somnambulous, and
looked blindly about them at the tall spars, the white decks, and the
crowding ship's company, and heard men as from far away, and answered
them at random.

And then a hand fell softly on Carthew's shoulder.

"Why, Norrie, old chappie, where have you dropped from? All the world's
been looking for you. Don't you know you've come into your kingdom?"

He turned, beheld the face of his old schoolmate Sebright, and fell
unconscious at his feet.

The doctor was attending him, a while later, in Lieutenant Sebright's
cabin, when he came to himself. He opened his eyes, looked hard in the
strange face, and spoke with a kind of solemn vigour.

"Brown must go the same road," he said, "now or never." And then paused,
and his reason coming to him with more clearness, spoke again: "What was
I saying Where am I? Who are you?"

"I am the doctor of the _Tempest_," was the reply. "You are in
Lieutenant Sebright's berth, and you may dismiss all concern from your
mind. Your troubles are over, Mr. Carthew."

"Why do you call me that?" he asked. "Ah, I remember--Sebright knew me!
O!" and he groaned and shook. "Send down Wicks to me; I must see Wicks
at once!" he cried, and seized the doctor's wrist with unconscious
violence.

"All right," said the doctor. "Let's make a bargain. You swallow down
this draught, and I'll go and fetch Wicks."

And he gave the wretched man an opiate that laid him out within ten
minutes, and in all likelihood preserved his reason.

It was the doctor's next business to attend to Mac; and he found
occasion, while engaged upon his arm, to make the man repeat the names
of the rescued crew. It was now the turn of the captain, and there is no
doubt he was no longer the man that we have seen; sudden relief, the
sense of perfect safety, a square meal, and a good glass of grog, had
all combined to relax his vigilance and depress his energy.

"When was this done?" asked the doctor, looking at the wound.

"More than a week ago," replied Wicks, thinking singly of his log.

"Hey?" cried the doctor, and