Johnson and De Foe gazed mournfully out over the ocean at the floating
island.

"De Foe," said Johnson, "that ought to be a lesson to you. This realism
that you tie up to is all right when you are alone with your conscience;
but when there are great things afoot, an imagination and a broad view as
to the limitations of truth aren't at all bad. You or I might now be
drinking that cocktail with Holmes if we'd only risen to the opportunity
the way Munchausen did."

[Illustration: "'THAT OUGHT TO BE A LESSON TO YOU'"]

"That is true," said De Foe, sadly. "But I didn't suppose he wanted that
kind of information. I could have spun a better yarn than that of
Munchausen's with my eyes shut. I supposed he wanted truth, and I gave
it."

"I'd like to know what has become of the House-boat," said Raleigh,
anxiously gazing through the glass at the island. "I can see old Henry
Morgan sitting down there on the rocks with his elbows on his knees and
his chin in his hands, and Kidd and Abeuchapeta are standing back of him,
yelling like mad, but there isn't a boat in sight."

"Who is that man, off to the right, dancing a fandango?" asked Johnson.

"It looks like Conrad, but I can't tell. He appears to have gone crazy.
He's got that wild look on his face which betokens insanity. We'll have to
be careful in our parleyings with these people," said Raleigh.

"Anything new?" asked Holmes, returning to the deck, smacking his lips in