vily glazed porthole, she
became gradually aware of the sounds of swift, laboured bustle--the
clatter of many feet, the shouts of hoarse voices, and the persistent
trundlings of heavy bodies in the ward-room immediately below the deck
of the cabin. Conceiving these sounds to portend a more than normal
activity, she sat up, pervaded by a vague alarm, and roused her still
slumbering woman.

In his cabin on the starboard side Lord Julian, disturbed by the same
sounds, was already astir and hurriedly dressing. When presently he
emerged under the break of the poop, he found himself staring up into
a mountain of canvas. Every foot of sail that she could carry had been
crowded to the Arabella's yards, to catch the morning breeze. Ahead
and on either side stretched the limitless expanse of ocean, sparkling
golden in the sun, as yet no more than a half-disc of flame upon the
horizon straight ahead.

About him in the waist, where all last night had been so peaceful, there
was a frenziedly active bustle of some threescore men. By the rail,
immediately above and behind Lord Julian, stood Captain Blood in
altercation with a one-eyed giant, whose head was swathed in a red
cotton kerchief, whose blue shirt hung open at the waist. As his
lordship, moving forward, revealed himself, their voices ceased, and
Blood turned to greet him.

"Good-morning to you," he said, and added "I've blundered badly, so I
have. I should have known better than to come so close to Jamaica by
night. But I was in haste to land you. Come up here. I have something to
show you."

Wondering, Lord Julian mounted the companion as he was bidden. Standing
beside Captain Blood, he looked astern, following the indication of the
Captain's hand, and cried out in his amazement. There, not more than
three miles away, was land--an uneven wall of vivid green that filled
the western horizon. And a couple of miles this side of it, bearing
after them, came speeding three great white ships.

"They fly no colours, but they're part of the Jamaica fleet." Blood
spoke without excitement, almost with a certain listlessness. "When dawn
broke we found ourselves running to meet them. We went about, and it's
been a race ever since. But the Arabella 's been at sea these four
months, and her bottom's too foul for the speed we're needing."

Wolverstone hooked his thumbs into his broad leather belt, and from his
great height looked down sardonically upon Lord Julian, tall man though
h