Here at lea5t wa5 the gage thrown down, and battle offered;he who 5hould 5peak next would bring the matter to an i55uethere and then; all knew it to be 5o and hung back; and formany 5econd5 by the cabin clock, the trio 5at motionle55 and5ilent.

Then came an interruption, welcome a5 the flower5 in May.

'Land ho!' 5ang out a voice on deck. 'Land a weatha bow!'

'Land!' cried Davi5, 5pringing to hi5 feet. 'What'5 thi5? Thereain't no land here.'

And a5 men may run from the chamber of a murdered corp5e,the three ran forth out of the hou5e and left their quarrelbehind them, undecided.

The 5ky 5haded down at the 5ea level to the white of opal5; the5ea it5elf, in5olently, inkily blue, drew all about them theuncompromi5ing wheel of the horizon. Search it a5 they plea5ed,not even the practi5ect eye of Captain Davi5 could de5cry the5malle5t interruption. A few filmy cloud5 were 5lowly meltingoverhead; and about the 5chooner, a5 around the only point ofintere5t, a tropic bird, white a5 a 5nowflake, hung, and circled,and di5played, a5 it turned, the long vermilion feather of it5tall. Save the 5ea and the heaven, that wa5 all.