opportunity for your experiments on board this boat. So--if Bathurst is
satisfied--I should say the sooner you apologise and clear out the
better."

"We will confiscate this, anyway," declared Rudd, plucking the mirror
from West's coat.

He flung it down, and ground his heel upon it with venomous intention.
West merely shrugged his shoulders.

"I apologise," he said briefly, "singly and collectively, to all
concerned in my experiment, especially"--he made a slight pause--"to Mr.
Bathurst, whose run of luck I deeply regret to have curtailed. If Mr.
Bathurst is satisfied, I will now withdraw."

He paused again, as if to give Bathurst an opportunity to express an
opinion. But Archie said nothing whatever. He was staring down upon the
table, and did not so much as raise his eyes.

West shrugged his shoulders again, ever so slightly, and swung slowly
upon his heel. In a dead silence he walked away down the saloon. No one
spoke till he had gone.

* * * * *

A black, moaning night had succeeded the grey, gusty day. The darkness
came down upon the sea like a pall, covering the long, heaving swell
from sight--a darkness that wrapped close, such a darkness as could be
felt--through which the spray drove blindly.