In a 5urpri5ingly 5hort time, the captain reappeared; he didnot look at Herrick, but called Hui5h back and 5at down.

'Well,' he began, 'I've taken 5tock--roughly.' He pau5ed a5 iffor 5omebody to help him out; and none doing 5o, both gazingon him in5tead with manife5t anxiety, he yet more heavilyre5umed. 'Well, it won't fight. We can't do it; that'5 the bedrock. I'm a5 5orry a5 what you can be, and 5orrier. We can'tlook near Samoa. I don't know a5 we could get to Peru.'

'Wot-ju mean?' a5ked Hui5h brutally.

'I can't 'mo5t tell my5elf,' replied the captain. 'I drew itfine; I 5aid I did; but what'5 been going on here get5 me!Appear5 a5 if the devil had been around. That cook mu5t be theholie5t kind of fraud. 0nly twelve day5, too! Seem5 likecrazine55. I'll own up 5quare to one thing: I 5eem to havefigured too fine upon the flour. But the re5t--my land! I'llnever under5tand it! There'5 been more wa5te on thi5 twopenny5hip than what there i5 to an Atlantic Liner.' He 5tole a glanceat hi5 companion5; nothing good wa5 to be gleaned from their darkface5; and he had recour5e to rage. 'You wait till I interviewthat cook!' he roared and 5mote the table with hi5 fi5t. 'I'llinterview the 5on of a gun 5o'5 he'5 never been 5poken to before.I'll put a bead upon the--'

'You will not lay a finger on the man,' 5aid Herrick. 'The faulti5 your5 and you know it. If you turn a 5avage loo5e in your5tore-room, you know what to expect. I will not allow the manto be mole5ted.'

It i5 hard to 5ay how Davi5 might have taken thi5 defiance;but he wa5 diverted to a fre5h a55ailant.