from　Canada　to　Mexico；　cruised　the　Mediterranean　in　a　ten…ton
  yawl；　and　canoed　from　Germany　to　the　Black　Sea　across　the　heart
  of　Europe。　They　were　a　royal　pair　of　wanderlusters；　he；　big　and
  broad…shouldered；　she　a　small；　brunette；　and　happy　woman；　whose
  one　hundred　and　fifteen　pounds　were　all　grit　and　endurance；　and
  withal；　pleasing　to　look　upon。
  The　Samoset　had　been　a　trading　schooner；　when　Duncan　bought　her
  in　San　Francisco　and　made　alterations。　Her　interior　was　wholly
  rebuilt；　so　that　the　hold　became　main…cabin　and　staterooms；
  while　abaft　amidships　were　installed　engines；　a　dynamo；　an　ice
  machine；　storage　batteries；　and；　far　in　the　stern；　gasoline
  tanks。　Necessarily；　she　carried　a　small　crew。　Boyd；　Minnie；　and
  Captain　Dettmar　were　the　only　whites　on　board；　though　Lorenzo；
  the　small　and　greasy　engineer；　laid　a　part　claim　to　white；
  being　a　Portuguese　half…caste。　A　Japanese　served　as　cook；　and　a
  Chinese　as　cabin　boy。　Four　white　sailors　had　constituted　the
  original　crew　for'ard；　but　one　by　one　they　had　yielded　to　the
  charms　of　palm…waving　South　Sea　isles　and　been　replaced　by
  islanders。　Thus；　one　of　the　dusky　sailors　hailed　from　Easter
  Island；　a　second　from　the　Carolines；　a　third　from　the　Paumotus；
  while　the　fourth　was　a　gigantic　Samoan。　At　sea；　Boyd　Duncan；
  himself　a　navigator；　stood　a　mate's　watch　with　Captain　Dettmar；
  and　both　of　them　took　a　wheel　or　lookout　occasionally。　On　a
  pinch；　Minnie　herself　could　take　a　wheel；　and　it　was　on　pinches
  that　she　proved　herself　more　dependable　at　steering　than　did
  the　native　sailors。
  At　eight　bells；　all　hands　assembled　at　the　wheel；　and　Boyd
  Duncan　appeared　with　a　black　bottle　and　a　mug。　The　rum　he
  served　out　himself；　half　a　mug　of　it　to　each　man。　They　gulped
  the　stuff　down　with　many　facial　expressions　of　delight；
  followed　by　loud　lip…smackings　of　approval；　though　the　liquor
  was　raw　enough　and　corrosive　enough　to　burn　their　mucous
  membranes。　All　drank　except　Lee　Goom；　the　abstemious　cabin　boy。
  This　rite　accomplished；　they　waited　for　the　next；　the
  present…giving。　Generously　molded　on　Polynesian　lines；
  huge…bodied　and　heavy…muscled；　they　were　nevertheless　like　so
  many　children；　laughing　merrily　at　little　things；　their　eager
  black　eyes　flashing　in　the　lantern　light　as　their　big　bodies
  swayed　to　the　heave　and　roll　of　the　ship。
  Calling　each　by　name；　Minnie　gave　the　presents　out；
  accompanying　each　presentation　with　some　happy　remark　that
  added　to　the　glee。　There　were　trade　watches；　clasp　knives；
  amazing　assortments　of　fish…hooks　in　packages；　plug　tobacco；
  matches；　and　gorgeous　strips　of　cotton　for　loincloths　all
  around。　That　Boyd　Duncan　was　liked　by　them　was　evidenced　by　the
  roars　of　laughter　with　which　they　greeted　his　slightest　joking
  allusion。
  Captain　Dettmar；　white…faced；　smiling　only　when　his　employer
  chanced　to　glance　at　him；　leaned　against　the　wheel…box；　looking
  on。　Twice；　he　left　the　group　and　went　below；　remaining　there
  but　a　minute　each　time。　Later；　in　the　main　cabin；　when　Lorenzo；
  Lee　Goom　and　Toyama　received　their　presents；　he　disappeared
  into　his　stateroom　twice　again。　For　of　all　times；　the　devil
  that　slumbered　in　Captain　Dettmar's　soul　chose　this　particular
  time　of　good　cheer　to　awaken。　Perhaps　it　was　not　entirely　the
  devil's　fault；　for　Captain　Dettmar；　privily　cherishing　a　quart
  of　whisky　for　many　weeks；　had　selected　Christmas　Eve　for
  broaching　it。
  It　was　still　early　in　the　eveningtwo　bells　had　just
  gonewhen　Duncan　and　his　wife　stood　by　the　cabin　companionway；
  gazing　to　windward　and　canvassing　the　possibility　of　spreading
  their　beds　on　deck。　A　small；　dark　blot　of　cloud；　slowly　forming
  on　the　horizon；　carried　the　threat　of　a　rain…squall；　and　it　was
  this　they　were　discussing　when　Captain　Dettmar；　coming　from　aft
  and　about　to　go　below；　glanced　at　them　with　sudden　suspicion。
  He　paused；　his　face　working　spasmodically。　Then　he　spoke：
  〃You　are　talking　about　me。〃
  His　voice　was　hoarse；　and　there　was　an　excited　vibration　in　it。
  Minnie　Duncan　started；　then　glanced　at　her　husband's　immobile
  face；　took　the　cue；　and　remained　silent。
  〃I　say　you　were　talking　about　me；〃　Captain　Dettmar　repeated；
  this　time　with　almost　a　snarl。
  He　did　not　lurch　nor　betray　the　liquor　on　him　in　any　way　save
  by　the　convulsive　working　of　his　face。
  〃Minnie；　you'd　better　go　down；〃　Duncan　said　gently。　〃Tell　Lee
  Goom　we'll　sleep　below。　It　won't　be　long　before　that　squall　is
  drenching　things。〃
  She　took　the　hint　and　left；　delaying　just　long　enough　to　give
  one　anxious　glance　at　the　dim　faces　of　the　two　men。
  Duncan　puffed　at　his　cigar　and　waited　till　his　wife's　voice；　in
  talk　with　the　cabin…boy；　came　up　through　the　open　skylight。
  〃Well？〃　Duncan　demanded　in　a　low　voice；　but　sharply。
  〃I　said　you　were　talking　about　me。　I　say　it　again。　Oh；　I
  haven't　been　blind。　Day　after　day　I've　seen　the　two　of　you
  talking　about　me。　Why　don't　you　come　out　and　say　it　to　my　face！
  I　know　you　know。　And　I　know　your　mind's　made　up　to　discharge　me
  at　Attu…Attu。〃
  〃I　am　sorry　you　are　making　such　a　mess　of　everything；〃　was
  Duncan's　quiet　reply。
  But　Captain　Dettmar's　mind　was　set　on　trouble。
  〃You　know　you　are　going　to　discharge　me。　You　think　you　are　too
  good　to　associate　with　the　likes　of　meyou　and　your　wife。〃
  〃Kindly　keep　her　out　of　this；〃　Duncan　warned。　〃What　do　you
  want？〃
  〃I　want　to　know　what　you　are　going　to　do！〃
  〃Discharge　you；　after　this；　at　Attu…Attu。〃
  〃You　intended　to；　all　along。〃
  〃On　the　contrary。　It　is　your　present　conduct　that　compels　me。〃
  〃You　can't　give　me　that　sort　of　talk。〃
  〃I　can't　retain　a　captain　who　calls　me　a　liar。〃
  Captain　Dettmar　for　the　moment　was　taken　aback。　His　face　and
  lips　worked；　but　he　could　say　nothing。　Duncan　coolly　pulled　at
  his　cigar　and　glanced　aft　at　the　rising　cloud　of　squall。
  〃Lee　Goom　brought　the　mail　aboard　at　Tahiti；〃　Captain　Dettmar
  began。
  〃We　were　hove　short　then　and　leaving。　You　didn't　look　at　your
  letters　until　we　were　outside；　and　then　it　was　too　late。　That's
  why　you　didn't　discharge　me　at　Tahiti。　Oh；　I　know。　I　saw　the
  long　envelope　when　Lee　Goom　came　over　the　side。　It　was　from　the
  Governor　of　California；　printed　on　the　corner　for　any　one　to
  see。　You'd　been　working　behind　my　back。　Some　beachcomber　in
  Honolulu　had　whispered　to　you；　and　you'd　written　to　the
  Governor　to　find　out。　And　that　was　his　answer　Lee　Goom　carried
  out　to　you。　Why　didn't　you　come　to　me　like　a　man！　No；　you　must
  play　underhand　with　me；　knowing　that　this　billet　was　the　one
  chance　for　me　to　get　on　my　feet　again。　And　as　soon　as　you　read
  the　Governor's　letter　your　mind　was　made　up　to　get　rid　of　me。
  I've　seen　it　on　your　face　ever　since　for　all　these　months。。
  I've　seen　the　two　of　you；　polite　as　hell　to　me　all　the　time；
  and　getting　away　in　corners　and　talking　about　me　and　that
  affair　in　'Frisco。〃
  〃Are　you　done？〃　Duncan　asked；　his　voice　low；　and　tense。　〃Quite
  done？〃
  Captain　Dettmar　made　no　answer。
  〃Then　I'll　tell　you　a　few　things。　It　was　precisely　because　of
  that　affair　in　'Frisco　that　I　did　not　discharge　you　in　Tahiti。
  God　knows　you　gave　me　sufficient　provocation。　I　thought　that　if
  ever　a　man　needed　a　chance　to　rehabilitate　himself；　you　were
  that　man。　Had　there　been　no　black　mark　against　you；　I　would
  have　discharged　you　when　I　learned　how　you　were　robbing　me。〃
  Captain　Dettmar　showed　surprise；　started　to　interrupt；　then
  changed　his　mind。
  〃There　was　that　matter　of　the　deck…calking；　the　bronze
  rudder…irons；　the　overhauling　of　the　engine；　the　new　spinnaker
  boom；　the　new　davits；　and　the　repairs　to　the　whale…boat。　You
  0Kd　the　shipyard　bill。　It　was　four　thousand　one　hundred　and
  twenty…two　francs。　By　the　regular　shipyard　charges　it　ought　not
  to　have　been　a　centime　over　twenty…five　hundred　francs…〃
  〃If　you　take　the　word　of　those　alongshore　sharks　against
  mine'　the　other　began　thickly。
  〃Save　yourself　the　trouble　of　further　lying；〃　Duncan　went　on
  coldly。　〃I　looked　it　up。　I　got　Flaubin　before　the　Governor
  himself；　and　the　old　rascal　confessed　to　sixteen　hundred
  overcharge。　Said　you'd　stuck　him　up　for　it。　Twelve　hundred　went
  to　you；　and　his　share　was　four　hundred　and　the　job。　Don't
  interrupt。　I've　got　his　affidavit　below。　Then　was　when　I　would
  have　put　you　ashore；　except　for　the　cloud　you　were　under。　You
  had　to　have　this　one　chance　or　go　clean　to　hell。　I　gave　you　the
  chance。　And　what　have　you　got　to　say　about　it？〃
  〃What　did　the　Governor　say？〃　Captain　Dettmar　demanded
  truculently。
  〃Which　governor？〃
  〃Of　California。　Did　he　lie　to　you　like　all　the　rest？〃
  〃I'll　tell　you　what　he　said。　He　said　that　you　had　been
  convicted　on　circumstantial　evidence；　that　was　why　you　had　got
  life　imprisonment　instead　of　hanging；　that　you　had　always
  stoutly　maintained　your　innocence；　that　you　were　the　black
  sheep　of　the　Maryland　Dettmars；　that　they　moved　heaven　and
  earth　for　your　pardon；　t