judgment against him, for he knew the
short shrift he would get were the act
brought home to him. He drew him
self up the hatch, caught the coaming,
and with a sailor's alertness sprang
out on the trade room floor, where,
trailing water like a spaniel, he hur
riedly closed the cover, stamping it
into place with his feet Then with
unspeakable relief he went to the
door, listened, opened it a few inches
and peeped cautiously into the pas
sageway.
He looked straight into Chris' eyes.
She signaled him to hurry across. He
did so at a bound, closing the cabin
door behind him, putting his back to
it like a hunted man.
"Get me some dry clothes quick," he
panted. "The schooner's done for—
I've put a hole in her you could shove
your two fists through."
The leak was not reported till sup
per time, when Krantz broke in on
the party like a whirlwind. The up
roar that ensued was as welcome to
him as it was dismaying to the gal
vanized mate and to the pallid, stutter
ing Schwartz. Brandeis was on deck
in a moment, bawling orders in a
voice like a bull Schwartz behind him,
as white as a corpse Krantz next,
his whiskers flying and his heavy tread
resounding as he stumbled forward to
call alh hands.
