like a perfect gentleman and treated us real handsome, until you began

with your foolery--and I must say I seen men shot for less, and nobody

sorry! What more do you expect anyway?'

Herrick rocked to and fro upon the sand, shaking his head.

'Guying us,' he said, 'he was guying us--only guying us; it's all we're

good for.'

'There was one queer thing, to be sure,' admitted the captain, with a

misgiving of the voice; 'that about the sherry. Damned if I caught on to

that. Say, Herrick, you didn't give me away?'

'Oh! give you away!' repeated Herrick with weary, querulous scorn. 'What

was there to give away? We're transparent; we've got rascal branded

on us: detected rascal--detected rascal! Why, before he came on board,

there was the name painted out, and he saw the whole thing. He made sure

we would kill him there and then, and stood guying you and Huish on the

chance. He calls that being frightened! Next he had me ashore; a fine

time I had! THE TWO WOLVES, he calls you and Huish.--WHAT IS THE

PUPPY

DOING WITH THE TWO WOLVES? he asked. He showed me his pearls; he

said

they might be dispersed before morning, and ALL HUNG BY A HAIr--and

smiled as he said it, such a smile! O, it's no use, I tell you! He knows

all, he sees through all; we only make him laugh with our pretences--he

looks at us and laughs like God!'

153

The Ebb-Tide