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"Not a bit of it He's all right Won't you give us a song next?"

If Gray showed the face of a sphinx, so did "Mr Wood," whose real name

was Tollemache He bent a little nearer

"Seen the rockets?" he asked

"No Are we signaling?"

"Every s are in a pretty bad shape, then?"

"Rotten"

"Well, like Brer Rabbit, we "

This opinion was incontrovertible Moreover, Tolle to keep his est conversation he had indulged in since he came aboard; nor was

he finished with it

"Ship will strike soon," he said

Gray turned on him sharply "Oh, nonsense!" he exclaimed "What has

put that absurd notion into your head?"

"Know this coast"

"But we are far out at sea"

"Fifty o Thirty now"

"Are you sure?"

"Certain"

"Do you mean to tell me that in three hours, or less, the ship ar," and he passed a

well-filled case to his co to take the silent one's ar and lit it

"What's at the back of your head?" he asked coolly The other looked

towards the Chileans

"Those chaps are rotters," he said