al life. To be preparing for as much trouble as
though in some uncivilized country, while still within sight of the
office buildings of a modern city, seemed an absurdity. Yet here he
was, in his sober senses, and at his side sat Stubbs, and, behind, the
big chimneys belched smoke, while he thrust one cartridge after
another into the bright cylinder of his weapon. But when he looked
again at the ocean which lay before him an unbroken plain extending to
the shores of other continents, his act and his situation seemed more
natural. He was preparing for the things before him, not the life
behind. The waters breaking at their feet were brothers to those many
thousands of miles distant.

The sun sank lower and lower towards the blue horizon line, finally
spattering the sky with color as it sank into the sea as though it had
splashed into a pot of molten gold. Behind them the whistles screamed
that work might cease. In front, where there were no roads or paths to
cut the blue, the only surface whereon man has not been able to leave
his mark since the first created day, a deep peace came down. The
world became almost a dream world, so hushed and vague it grew. The
yacht which still rocked at anchor grew as dim as a ghost ship. The
purple of the sky deepened and the stars came out.

"Look at her now," drawled Stubbs, with a sweep of his hand towards
the waters, "like an infant in arms, but afore mornin' reachin' for
yer throat, maybe. Next to wimen I don't s'pose there's anythin' so
uncertain and contrary, as you may say."

He raised his field glasses and studied the ship again which lay
without lights, like a derelict. He rose lazily and stretched
himself.

The light glow in the west disappeared and left the earth but scantily
lighted by a new moon. The surface of the water was dark, so that from
the shore a rowboat could not be seen for a distance of more than
fifty yards. Stubbs strolled towards the place where they had landed
and took from his black bag a small lantern which he lighted and,
after some searching, placed upon a small, flat rock which he
discovered.

"Guess that will fetch 'em 'fore long," he said.

But it was all of half an hour before the first boat came stealing out
of the dark like a floating log. At sight of it Stubbs became a
different man. He rose to his feet with the quick movement of a boy.
His eyes took in every detail of the contents of the boat before it
touched the shore. He was as alert a