and saw and giant-powder. They lived in lonely ranch houses, tents and
rudely flung-up shacks; driving the new roads along the rangeside or
risking life and limb in wild-cat adits. They were quick to laughter, and
reckless in hospitality.

Then with an effort he brushed the hazy thoughts away. Kitty Blake was
merely a guest of his; in another day he would land her in Victoria, and
that would be the end of it. He was assuring himself of this when Carroll
crawled up through the scuttle forward and came aft to join them. In
spite of his prudent reflections, Vane was by no means certain that he
was pleased to see him.




CHAPTER III

AN AFTERNOON ASHORE


Half the day had slipped by. The breeze freshened further and the sun
broke through. The sloop was then rolling wildly as she drove along with
the peak of her mainsail lowered down before a big following sea. The
combers came up behind her, foaming and glistening blue and green, with
seamy white streaks on their hollow breasts, and broke about her with a
roar. Then they surged ahead while she sank down into the hollow with
sluicing deck and tilted stern. Vane's face was intent as he gripped the
helm; three or four miles away a head ran out from the beach he was
following, and he would have to haul the boat up to windward to get
around it. This would bring the combers upon her quarter, or, worse