expression is intelligent and not at all displeasing. He is somewhat
of the Grecian type, and T have no doubt that he is of Hellenic origin
when I hear him called Serko--Engineer Serko--by the Captain of the
_Ebba_.

As to the latter, he is called Spade--Captain Spade--and this name has
an Italian twang about it. Thus there is a Greek, an Italian, and a
crew recruited from every corner of the earth to man a schooner with a
Norwegian name! This mixture strikes me as being suspicious.

And that Count d'Artigas, with his Spanish name and Asiatic type,
where does he come from?

Captain Spade and Engineer Serko continue to converse in a low tone of
voice. The former is keeping a sharp eye on the man at the wheel, who
does not appear to pay any particular attention to the compass in
front of him. He seems to pay more heed to the gestures of one of the
sailors stationed forward, and who signals to him to put the helm to
port or to starboard.

Thomas Roch is near them, gazing vacantly out upon the vast expanse
which is not limited on the horizon by a single speck of land. Two
sailors watch his every movement. It is evidently feared that the
madman may possibly attempt to jump overboard.

I wonder whether I shall be permitted to communicate with my ward.

I walk towards him, and Captain Spade and Engineer Serko watch me.

Thomas Roch doesn't see me coming, and I stand beside him. Still he