infinitesimal weight to the wave of normality which was settling over
them all. Everybody visibly concentrated, listening for the answer.

It came after an instant, although Frank Merrill palpably pulled himself
together to attack the problem. "I was talking that matter over with
Miner just yesterday," he said. "Miner said God, I wonder where he is
now - and a dependent blind mother in Nebraska."

"Cut that out," Honey Smith ordered crisply.

"We - we - were trying to figure our chances in case of a wreck," Frank
Merrill continued slowly. "You see, we're out of the beaten path - way
out. Those days of drifting cooked our goose. You can never tell, of
course, what will happen in the Pacific where there are so many tramp
craft. On the other hand - " he paused and hesitated. It was evident,
now that he had something to expound, that Merrill had himself almost
under command, that his hesitation arose from another cause. "Well,
we're all men. I guess it's up to me to tell you the truth. The sooner
you all know the worst, the sooner you'll pull yourselves together. I
shouldn't be surprised if we didn't see a ship for several weeks -
perhaps months."

Another of their mute intervals fell upon them. Dozens of waves flashed
and crashed their way up the beach; but now they trailed an iridescent
network of foam over the lilac-gray sand. The sun raced high; but now it
poured a flood of light on the green-gray water. The air grew bright and
brighter. The earth grew warm and warmer. Blue came into the sky,
deepened - and the sea reflected it, Suddenly the world was one huge
glittering bubble, half of which was the brilliant azure sky and half
the burnished azure sea. None of the five men looked at the sea and sky