“See to the ship’s course!”

“It’s all right, Senor Rey,” Miss Mallory called.  “I can hold her.  We’re scudding along beautifully, and our convoy is keeping pace——­”

The Spaniard’s bony shoulders sank a little in his chair.  He interpreted this, as did Framtree, as an order.  It was his first positive assurance that the American woman was against him.

“But the Chinese, Miss Mallory——­” he said, with rare control.

“Oh, they have picked up Mr. Sorenson....  They can see the light at the point of the Inlet.  Mr. Sorenson will need a change of clothing——­”

There was a laugh from Framtree, rich, ripping, infectious.  It released accumulations of fever and strain from all but the Spaniard, who joined nevertheless....  Bedient stood somewhat rigidly by the table.  Waves of mist alternated with intervals of clear perception in his mind.

Miss Mallory had entered into reaction.  The laugh of Jim Framtree was the only good omen to her.  She wasn’t quite so afraid of him after that....  As for the wheel, the situation was not nearly so blithe as she had represented to Rey.  The Savonarola had changed course, while the Chinese were getting the small boat overside.  The Inlet had been astern and a little to star-board then.  She had wondered, at the time, at the course, because Captain Bloom of the Hatteras had shown her how the reefs stretched out, forming a great breakwater for Coral City harbor, and the Savonarola had seemed to be making for trouble....  She jumped with a thought now.  Perhaps Rey had intended to run over the coral with his lighter craft, or perhaps he knew a lesser passage; and thus elude Jaffier’s gunboat, or strand the latter upon the reefs....

The Inlet light was now straight to port, but the breeze was brisker, and she hated the thought of losing it.  She had handled the tiller of small craft, but would not have dared to bring around the Savonarola with her vast sweep of sail, even had she cared to regain the original course....  Bedient could not hold these two men at bay all night.  He looked as if he might fall any moment.  And now he had postponed his talk with Framtree.  This was beyond her.  She had counted upon him for a message that would make Framtree his.  She did not realize the meaning of the few words already spoken.  There might be pistols secreted, where Framtree could find them.  One shot and she was alone....  Bedient did not even adequately care for the pistol he had.  There was a large stain of red upon the breast pocket of his coat,—­a coat that had been white in the morning, but now grimed from the forecastle.  The stain terrified her....  Where was the voyage to end?  Certainly they could not go back to The Pleiad Inlet, nor over the reefs to the main harbor; and this strain could not last.  These were bits of her furious thinking during the last few moments, while Bedient stood beside the table like a freshly risen Lazarus....  The Glow-worm moved past her, as a sleep-walker might have done, murmuring that she must have a glass of wine or die.  Madame Sorenson moaned at being left alone, and followed the Senora into the cabin.  And now Senor Rey asked blandly: