“She will clear the south point as she heads now,” I whispered into his ear.  “Goodness only knows when, though, but certainly after dark.  I’ll edge her in to half a mile, as far as I may be able to judge in the dark—­”

“Be careful,” he murmured, warningly—­and I realised suddenly that all my future, the only future for which I was fit, would perhaps go irretrievably to pieces in any mishap to my first command.

I could not stop a moment longer in the room.  I motioned him to get out of sight and made my way on the poop.  That unplayful cub had the watch.  I walked up and down for a while thinking things out, then beckoned him over.

“Send a couple of hands to open the two quarterdeck ports,” I said, mildly.

He actually had the impudence, or else so forgot himself in his wonder at such an incomprehensible order, as to repeat: 

“Open the quarter-deck ports!  What for, sir?”

“The only reason you need concern yourself about is because I tell you to do so.  Have them open wide and fastened properly.”

He reddened and went off, but I believe made some jeering remark to the carpenter as to the sensible practice of ventilating a ship’s quarter-deck.  I know he popped into the mate’s cabin to impart the fact to him because the whiskers came on deck, as it were by chance, and stole glances at me from below—­for signs of lunacy or drunkenness, I suppose.

A little before supper, feeling more restless than ever, I rejoined, for a moment, my second self.  And to find him sitting so quietly was surprising, like something against nature, inhuman.

I developed my plan in a hurried whisper.

“I shall stand in as close as I dare and then put her round.  I shall presently find means to smuggle you out of here into the sail-locker, which communicates with the lobby.  But there is an opening, a sort of square for hauling the sails out, which gives straight on the quarter-deck and which is never closed in fine weather, so as to give air to the sails. ’ When the ship’s way is deadened in stays and all the hands are aft at the main-braces you shall have a clear road to slip out and get overboard through the open quarter-deck port.  I’ve had them both fastened up.  Use a rope’s end to lower yourself into the water so as to avoid a splash—­you know.  It could be heard and cause some beastly complication.”

He kept silent for a while, then whispered, “I understand.”

“I won’t be there to see you go,” I began with an effort.  “The rest . . .  I only hope I have understood, too.”

“You have.  From first to last”—­and for the first time there seemed to be a faltering, something strained in his whisper.  He caught hold of my arm, but the ringing of the supper bell made me start.  He didn’t, though; he only released his grip.

After supper I didn’t come below again till well past eight o’clock.  The faint, steady breeze was loaded with dew; and the wet, darkened sails held all there was of propelling power in it.  The night, clear and starry, sparkled darkly, and the opaque, lightless patches shifting slowly against the low stars were the drifting islets.  On the port bow there was a big one more distant and shadowily imposing by the great space of sky it eclipsed.