“Thissickensme。”Isaid。“Let’sgoondeckandbreathe。”
　　Thecaptainnodded。“ItISkindoflonely，isn’tit？”hesaid。
　　“ButIcan’tgouptillIgetthecodesignals。Iwanttorunup’GotLeft’orsomething，justtobrightenupthisislandhome。
　　CaptainTrenthasn’tbeenhereyet，buthe’lldropinbeforelong；
　　andit’llcheerhimuptoseeasignalonthebrig。”
　　“Isn’ttheresomeofficialexpressionwecoulduse？”Iasked，vastlytakenbythefancy。“’Soldforthebenefitoftheunderwriters：forfurtherparticulars，applytoJ。Pinkerton，MontanaBlock，S。F。’“
　　“Well。”returnedNares，“Iwon’tsaybutwhatanoldnavyquartermastermighttelegraphallthat，ifyougavehimadaytodoitinandapoundoftobaccoforhimself。Butit’sabovemyregister。Imusttrysomethingshortandsweet：KB，urgentsignal，’Heaveallaback’；orLM，urgent，’Theberthyou’renowinisnotsafe’；orwhatdoyousaytoPQH？——’Tellmyownerstheshipanswersremarkablywell。’“
　　“It’spremature。”Ireplied；“butitseemscalculatedtogivepaintoTrent。PQHforme。”
　　TheflagswerefoundinTrent’scabin，neatlystoredbehindaletteredgrating；NareschosewhatherequiredandIfollowing
　　returnedondeck，wherethesunhadalreadydipped，andtheduskwascoming。
　　“Here！don’ttouchthat，youfool！”shoutedthecaptaintooneofthehands，whowasdrinkingfromthescuttlebut。“Thatwater’srotten！”
　　“Begpardon，sir。”repliedtheman。“Tastesquitesweet。”
　　“Letmesee。”returnedNares，andhetookthedipperandheldittohislips。“Yes，it’sallright。”hesaid。“Musthaverottedandcomesweetagain。Queer，isn’tit，Mr。Dodd？ThoughI’veknownthesameonaCapeHorner。”
　　Therewassomethinginhisintonationthatmademelookhimintheface；hestoodalittleontiptoetolookrightandleftabouttheship，likeamanfilledwithcuriosity，andhiswholeexpressionandbearingtestifiedtosomesuppressedexcitement。
　　“Youdon’tbelievewhatyou’resaying！”Ibrokeout。
　　“O，Idon’tknowbutwhatIdo！”hereplied，layingahanduponmesoothingly。“Thething’sverypossible。Only，I’mbotheredaboutsomethingelse。”
　　Andwiththathecalledahand，gavehimthecodeflags，andsteppedhimselftothemainsignalhalliards，whichvibratedundertheweightoftheensignoverhead。Aminutelater，theAmericancolours，whichwehadbroughtintheboat，replacedtheEnglishred，andPQHwasflutteringatthefore。
　　“Now，then。”saidNares，whohadwatchedthebreakingoutofhissignalwiththeold-maidishparticularityofanAmericansailor，“outwiththosehandspikes，andlet’sseewhatwaterthereisinthelagoon。”
　　Thebarswereshovedhome；thebarbarouscacophonyoftheclankingpumproseinthewaist；andstreamsofill-smellingwatergushedondeckandmadevalleysintheslabguano。
　　Naresleanedontherail，watchingthesteadystreamofbilgeasthoughhefoundsomeinterestinit。
　　“Whatisitthatbothersyou？”Iasked。
　　“Well，I’lltellyouonethingshortly。”hereplied。“Buthere’sanother。Doyouseethoseboatsthere，oneonthehouseandtwoonthebeds？Well，whereistheboatTrentloweredwhenhelostthehands？”
　　“Gotitaboardagain，Isuppose。”saidI。
　　“Well，ifyou’lltellmewhy！”returnedthecaptain。
　　“Thenitmusthavebeenanother。”Isuggested。
　　“Shemighthavecarriedanotheronthemainhatch，Iwon’tdeny。”admittedNares；“butIcan’tseewhatshewantedwithit，unlessitwasfortheoldmantogooutandplaytheaccordionin，onmoonlightnights。”
　　“Itcan’tmuchmatter，anyway。”Ireflected。
　　“O，Idon’tsupposeitdoes。”saidhe，glancingoverhisshoulderatthespoutingofthescuppers。
　　“Andhowlongarewetokeepupthisracket？”Iasked。“We’resimplypumpingupthelagoon。CaptainTrenthimselfsaidshehadsettleddownandwasfullforward。”
　　“Didhe？”saidNares，withasignificantdryness。Andalmostashespokethepumpssucked，andsuckedagain，andthementhrewdowntheirbars。“There，whatdoyoumakeofthat？”heasked。“Now，I’lltell，Mr。Dodd。”hewenton，loweringhisvoice，butnotshiftingfromhiseasyattitudeagainsttherail，“thisshipisassoundastheNorahCreina。Ihadaguessofitbeforewecameaboard，andnowIknow。”
　　“It’snotpossible！”Icried。“WhatdoyoumakeofTrent？”
　　“Idon’tmakeanythingofTrent；Idon’tknowwhetherhe’saliaroronlyanoldwife；Isimplytellyouwhat’sthefact。”saidNares。“AndI’lltellyousomethingmore。”headded：“I’vetakenthegroundmyselfindeep-watervessels；IknowwhatI’msaying；andIsaythat，whenshefirststruckandbeforeshebeddeddown，sevenoreighthours’workwouldhavegotthishookeroff，andthere’snomanthateverwenttwoyearstoseabutmusthaveknownit。”
　　Icouldonlyutteranexclamation。
　　Naresraisedhisfingerwarningly。“Don’tletTHEMgetholdofit。”saidhe。“Thinkwhatyoulike，butsaynothing。”
　　Iglancedround；theduskwasmeltingintoearlynight；thetwinkleofalanternmarkedtheschooner’spositioninthedistance；andourmen，freefromfurtherlabour，stoodgroupedtogetherinthewaist，theirfacesilluminatedbytheirglowingpipes。
　　“Whydidn’tTrentgetheroff？”inquiredthecaptain。“Whydidhewanttobuyherbackin’Friscoforthesefabuloussums，whenhemighthavesailedherintothebayhimself？”
　　“Perhapsheneverknewhervalueuntilthen。”Isuggested。
　　“Iwishweknewhervaluenow。”exclaimedNares。“However，Idon’twanttodepressyou；I’msorryforyou，Mr。Dodd；I
　　knowhowbotheringitmustbetoyou；andthebestIcansay’sthis：Ihaven’ttakenmuchtimegettingdown，andnowI’mhereImeantoworkthisthinginproperstyle。Ijustwanttoputyourmindatrest：youshallhavenotroublewithme。”
　　Therewassomethingtrustyandfriendlyinhisvoice；andI
　　foundmyselfgrippinghandswithhim，inthathard，shortshakethatmeanssomuchwithEnglish-speakingpeople。
　　“We’lldo，oldfellow。”saidhe。“We’veshakendownintoprettygoodfriends，youandme；andyouwon’tfindmeworkingthebusinessanythelesshardforthat。Andnowlet’sscootforsupper。”
　　Aftersupper，withtheidlecuriosityoftheseafarer，wepulledashoreinafinemoonlight，andlandedonMiddleBrook’sIsland。Aflatbeachsurroundedituponallsides；andthemidstwasoccupiedbyathicketofbushes，thehighestofthemscarcelyfivefeethigh，inwhichthesea-fowllived。Throughthiswetriedatfirsttostrike；butitwereeasiertocrossTrafalgarSquareonadayofdemonstrationthantoinvadethesehauntsofsleepingsea-birds。Thenestssank，andtheeggsburstunderfooting；wingsbeatinourfaces，beaksmenacedoureyes，ourmindswereconfoundedwiththescreeching，andthecoilspreadovertheislandandmountedhighintotheair。
　　“Iguesswe’llsaunterroundthebeach。”saidNares，whenwehadmadegoodourretreat。
　　Thehandswereallbusyaftersea-birds’eggs，sotherewerenonetofollowus。Ourwaylayonthecrispsandbythemarginofthewater：ononeside，thethicketfromwhichwehadbeendislodged；ontheother，thefaceofthelagoon，barredwithabroadpathofmoonlight，andbeyondthat，theline，alternatelydarkandshining，alternatelyhovehighandfallenprone，oftheexternalbreakers。Thebeachwasstrewnwithbitsofwreckanddrift：someredwoodandsprucelogs，nolessthantwolowermastsofjunks，andthestern-postofaEuropeanship；allofwhichwelookedonwithashadeofseriousconcern，speakingofthedangersoftheseaandthehardcaseofcastaways。Inthissoberveinwemadethegreaterpartofthecircuitoftheisland；hadanearviewofitsneighbourfromthesouthernend；walkedthewholelengthofthewesterlysideintheshadowofthethicket；andcameforthagainintothemoonlightattheoppositeextremity。
　　Onourright，atthedistanceofabouthalfamile，theschoonerlayfaintlyheavingatheranchors。Abouthalfamiledownthebeach，ataspotstillhiddenfromusbythethicket，anupboilingofthebirdsshowedwherethemenwerestillwithsailor-likeinsatiabilitycollectingeggs。Andrightbeforeus，inasmallindentationofthesand，wewereawareofaboatlyinghighanddry，andrightsideup。
　　Narescrouchedbackintotheshadowofthebushes。
　　“Whatthedevil’sthis？”hewhispered。
　　“Trent。”Isuggested，withabeatingheart。
　　“Weweredamnedfoolstocomeashoreunarmed。”saidhe。
　　“ButI’vegottoknowwhereIstand。”Intheshadow，hisfacelookedconspicuouslywhite，andhisvoicebetrayedastrongexcitement。Hetookhisboat’swhistlefromhispocket。“IncaseImightwanttoplayatune。”saidhe，grimly，andthrustingitbetweenhisteeth，advancedintothemoonlitopen；whichwecrossedwithrapidsteps，lookingguiltilyaboutusaswewent。
　　Notaleafstirred；andtheboat，whenwecameuptoit，offeredconvincingproofoflongdesertion。Shewasaneighteen-footwhaleboatoftheordinarytype，equippedwithoarsandthole-
　　pins。Twoorthreequarter-caskslayonthebilgeamidships，oneofwhichmusthavebeenbroached，andnowstankhorribly；andthese，uponexamination，provedtobearthesameNewZealandbrandasthebeefonboardthewreck。
　　“Well，here’stheboat。”saidI；“here’soneofyourdifficultiesclearedaway。”
　　“H’m。”saidhe。Therewasalittlewaterinthebilge，andherehestoopedandtastedit。
　　“Fresh。”hesaid。“Onlyrain-water。”
　　“Youdon’tobjecttothat？”Iasked。
　　“No。”saidhe。
　　“Well，then，whatailsyou？”Icried。
　　“InplainUnitedStates，Mr。Dodd。”hereturned，“awhaleboat，fiveashsweeps，andabarrelofstinkingpork。”
　　“Or，inotherwords，thewholething？”Icommented。
　　“Well，it’sthisway。”hecondescendedtoexplain。“I’venouseforafourthboatatall；butaboatofthismodeltopsthebusiness。Idon’tsaythetype’snotcommoninthesewaters；it’sascommonasdirt；thetraderscarrythemforsurf-boats。ButtheFlyingScud？adeep-watertramp，whowaslime-juicingaroundbetweenbigports，CalcuttaandRangoonand’FriscoandtheCantonRiver？No，Idon’tseeit。”
　　Wewereleaningoverthegunwaleoftheboataswespoke。
　　Thecaptainstoodnearestthebow，andhewasidlyplayingwiththetrailingpainter，whenathoughtarrestedhim。Hehauledthelineinhandoverhand，andstared，andremainedstaring，attheend。
　　“Anythingwrongwithit？”Iasked。
　　“Doyouknow，Mr。Dodd。”saidhe，inaqueervoice，“thispainter’sbeencut？Asailoralwaysseizesarope’send，butthisisslicedshortoffwiththecoldsteel。Thiswon’tdoatallforthemen。”headded。“JuststandbytillIfixitupmorenatural。”
　　“Anyguesswhatitallmeans？”Iasked。
　　“Well，itmeansonething。”saidhe。“ItmeansTrentwasaliar。
　　IguessthestoryoftheFlyingScudwasasightmorepicturesquethanhegaveout。”
　　Halfanhourlater，thewhaleboatwaslyingasternoftheNorahCreina；andNaresandIsoughtourbunks，silentandhalf-
　　bewilderedbyourlatediscoveries。