has contracted a romantic habit of rising over the sea when the sun
sets. Let's go and----"

"I'll tell you, Molly," broke in Bertie, linking a firm arm in Charlie's
to keep him quiet. "He can't break his host's head, you know. It's a
scald, eh, Charlie? He got it in the engine-room of the _Andover_ one
night in the autumn. You were on board, you know. Help me to hold him,
Fisher! He's getting restive. But I thought you knew all about it,
Molly. You told me so."

"Oh, I didn't know--this!" the girl said. "How could I? I never
guessed--this!"

Her three listeners were all surprised by the tragic note in her voice.
There was a momentary silence. Then Charlie made a fierce attempt to
wrest himself free.

"You infernal idiots!" he exclaimed violently. "Fisher, if you interfere
with me any more I--I'll punch your head! Bertie, don't be such a fool!"

He shook them off with an angry effort. Fisher laughed quietly.

"You can't always hide your light, my dear fellow," he observed. "If you
will do impossible things, you will have to put up with the penalty of
being occasionally found out."

"Silly ass!" commented Bertie. "Anyone would think that to save a few
hundred human lives was a thing to be ashamed of. It was the same thing
in South Africa; always slinking off into the background when the work
was done, till everyone took you for nothing but a looker-on--a chap who