ielded a punitive instrument which he could appreciate, and
which he feared--England's far-reaching navy.

The two sailors picked themselves up, the older man assisting his
wounded comrade to rise. The big fellow, who was known among his mates
as Black Michael, tried his leg gingerly, and, finding that it bore his
weight, turned to Clayton with a word of gruff thanks.

Though the fellow's tone was surly, his words were evidently well
meant. Ere he had scarce finished his little speech he had turned and
was limping off toward the forecastle with the very apparent intention
of forestalling any further conversation.

They did not see him again for several days, nor did the captain accord
them more than the surliest of grunts when he was forced to speak to
them.

They took their meals in his cabin, as they had before the unfortunate
occurrence; but the captain was careful to see that his duties never
permitted him to eat at the same time.

The other officers were coarse, illiterate fellows, but little above
the villainous crew they bullied, and were only too glad to avoid
social intercourse with the polished English noble and his lady, so
that the Claytons were left very much to themselves.

This in itself accorded perfectly with their desires, but it also
rather isolated them from the life of the little ship so that they were
unable to keep in touch with the daily happenings which were to
culminate so soon in bloody tragedy.

There was in the whole atmosphere of the craft that undefinable
something which presages disaster. Outwardly, to the knowledge of the
Claytons, all went on as before upon the little vessel; but that there
was an undertow leading them toward some unknown danger both felt,
though they did not speak of it to each other.

On the second day after the wounding of Black Michael, Clayton came on
deck just in time to see the limp body of one of the crew being carried
below by four of his fellows while the first mate, a heavy belaying pin
in his hand, stood glowering at the little party of sullen sailors.

Clayton asked no questions--he did not need to--and the following day,
as the great lines of a British battleship grew out of the distant
horizon, he half determined to demand that he and Lady Alice be put
aboard her, for his fears were steadily increasing that nothing but
harm could result from remaining on the lowering, sullen Fuwalda.

Toward noon they were within speaking distance of the Bri