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"They scratch themselves to rid their skins of parasites," Bonnet said casually "We are nostone" He drew heavily to start the fla paper overboard It vanished in the htly less noisy than the whales’ How close had Bonnet been? Had the Captain seen hie the ship, then?" he said,the Captain’s casual tone

Bonnet s on the draw of his cigar Without the illumination of the open fla coal of the tip

"Who knows?" he said at last, s out between his teeth as he spoke "Any one of the beasts ht sink us, should he have a mind in him for mischief I saw a ship once--or as left of it--battered to pieces by an angry whale Three feet of board, and a bit of spar left floating--sunk with all hands, two hundred souls"

"You don’t see sound of exhalation, a faint echo of the whales’ sighing, as Bonnet blew sth to worry s beyond his power to the gods--and prays that Danu will be with hie of the Captain’s hat turned toward him "Ye’ll know of Danu, will ye, MacKenzie?"

"Danu?" Roger said stupidly, and then the penny dropped, an old chant co Mrs Grahae my luck Make me bold Give runt behind the coal

"Ah, and you not even an Irish, MacKenzie"

"I know Danu the Luck-Giver," Roger said, hoping against hope that that particular Celtic goddess was both a good sailor and on his side He took a step backward, ht

"A one fro man at all, MacKenzie?"

He tensed, but felt the force of Bonnet’s grip and did not pull away Strength gathered in his liht had cos beyond his power--but on this ship, MacKenzie, everything is in htened "And everyone"

Roger jerked his wrist sideways, breaking the grip He stood alone, knowing there was neither help nor escape There was no world beyond the ship, and within it, Bonnet was right--all were in the Captain’s power If he died, it would not help Morag--but that choice wasonly mildly interested "The wo, too; would you risk my ship and my venture, then, only for the sake of a warh a tight throat Coht, and his hands curled at his sides Coive me a chance to take you with me "The child doesn’t have pox--a harnorant opinion above your own, Mr MacKenzie, but I am Captain here" The voice was still soft, but the venom was clear

"It is a child, for God’s sake!"

"It is--and of no value"

"No value to you, perhaps!"

There was a moment’s silence, broken only by a distant whoosh in the empty white

"And what value to you?" the voice asked, implacable "Why?"

For the sake of a warm body Yes, for that For the touch of hu of life stubborn in the face of death

"For pity," he said "She is poor; there was no one to help her"

The rich perfu He breathed it in, taking strength fro hi; the shadow dug in a pocket, held out a ghostly hand in which he caught a ht--coins and bits of rubbish and what lea, and thrust the rest back into his pocket

"Ah, pity," he said "And did yez say you were a ga, dropped it Roger caught it, only by reflex

"For the suckling’s life, then," Bonnet said, and the tone of light aer, shall we call it? Heads it lives, and tails it dies"