pened his door, ready for a rush to Florrie's defense, now went aft to
reassure her. She opened the door at his tap and his voice through the
keyhole.

"It's all right for the present, Florrie," he said. "While Sampson is
sober they won't come aft again."

"Oh, Billie," she gasped. "I hope so. Don't desert me, Billie."

"Don't worry," he said, reassuringly. "They'll all be stupid before
long, and then--to-night--there will be something doing on our side.
Now, I must be in my room when Billings comes, or until I'm sure he
will not come. And you stay here. I'll be on hand if anything happens."

He went back to his room, but Billings did not come with his supper. And
one by one the voices above grew silent, and the shuffling footsteps
ended in thuds, as their owners dropped to the deck; and when darkness
had closed down and all above was still, Denman crept out to
reconnoiter. He reached the door leading to the captain's room, and was
just about to open it when a scream came to his ears.

"Billie! Billie--come--come quick! Help!"

Then a tense voice:

"Shut up your noise in there and open the door. I only want to have a
talk with you."

Denman was into the room before the voice had ceased, and in the
darkness barely made out the figure of a man fumbling at the knob of the
stateroom door. He knew, as much by intuition as by recognition of the
voice, that it was Forsythe, and, without a word of warning, sprang at
his throat.

With an oath Forsythe gripped him, and they swayed back and forth in the
small cabin, locked together in an embrace that strained muscles and
sinews to the utmost. Forsythe expended breath and energy in curses.

Denman said nothing until Florrie screamed again, then he found voice to
call out:

"All right, Florrie, I've got him."

She remained silent while the battle continued. At first it was a
wrestling match, each with a right arm around the body of the other, and
with Denman's left hand gripping Forsythe's left wrist. Their left hands
swayed about, above their heads, to the right, to the left, and down
between the close pressure of their chests.

Denman soon found that he was the stronger of arm, for he twisted his
enemy's arm around as he pleased; but he also found that he was not
stronger of fingers, for suddenly Forsythe broke away from his grip and
seized tightly the wrist of Denman.

Thus reversed, the battle continued, and as they reeled about, chairs,
table, and desk were ov