“Ihaveit。”hebrokeout，andranondeck。“Here，boys！”hecried，“wedidn’tcomehereontheeleventh；wecameinhereontheeveningofthesixth，andlayhereeversincebecalmed。Assoonasyou’vedonewiththesechests。”headded，“youcanturntoandrolloutbeefandwaterbreakers；it’lllookmoreshipshape——likeasifweweregettingreadyfortheboatvoyage。”
Andhewasbackagaininamoment，cookingthenewlog。
Goddedaal’swasthencarefullydestroyed，andahuntbeganfortheship’spapers。Ofalltheagoniesofthatbreathlessmorning，thiswasperhapsthemostpoignant。Hereandtherethetwomensearched，cursing，cannoningtogether，streamingwithheat，freezingwithterror。Newswasbawleddowntothemthattheshipwasindeedaman-of-war，thatshewascloseup，thatshewasloweringaboat；andstilltheysoughtinvain。Bywhataccidenttheymissedtheironboxwiththemoneyandaccounts，ishardtofancy；buttheydid。AndthevitaldocumentswerefoundatlastinthepocketofTrent’sshore-goingcoat，wherehehadleftthemwhenlasthecameonboard。
Wickssmiledforthefirsttimethatmorning。“Nonetoosoon。”
saidhe。“Andnowforit！Taketheseothersforme；I’mafraidI’llgetthemmixedifIkeepboth。”
“Whatarethey？”Carthewasked。
“They’retheKirkupandCurrencyLasspapers。”hereplied。
“PrayGodweneed’emagain！”
“Boat’sinsidethelagoon，sir。”haileddownMac，whosatbytheskylightdoingsentrywhiletheothersworked。
“Timewewereondeck，then，Mr。Goddedaal。”saidWicks。
Astheyturnedtoleavethecabin，thecanaryburstintopiercingsong。
“MyGod！”criedCarthew，withagulp，“wecan’tleavethatwretchedbirdtostarve。ItwaspoorGoddedaal’s。”
“Bringtheballythingalong！”criedthecaptain。
Andtheywentondeck。
Anuglybruteofamodernman-of-warlayjustwithoutthereef，nowquiteinert，nowgivingaflaportwowithherpropeller。
Nearerhand，andjustwithin，abigwhiteboatcameskimmingtothestrokeofmanyoars，herensignblowingatthestern。
“Onewordmore。”saidWicks，afterhehadtakeninthescene。
“Mac，you’vebeeninChinaports？Allright；thenyoucanspeakforyourself。TherestofyouIkeptonboardallthetimewewereinHongkong，hopingyouwoulddesert；butyoufooledmeandstucktothebrig。That’llmakeyourlyingcomeeasier。”
Theboatwasnowcloseathand；aboyinthesternsheetswastheonlyofficer，andapooroneplainly，forthemenweretalkingastheypulled。
“ThankGod，they’veonlysentakindofamiddy！”ejaculatedWicks。“Hereyou，Hardy，standfor’ard！I’llhavenodeckhandsonmyquarter-deck。”hecried，andthereproofbracedthewholecrewlikeacolddouche。
Theboatcamealongsidewithperfectneatness，andtheboyofficersteppedonboard，wherehewasrespectfullygreetedbyWicks。
“Youthemasterofthisship？”heasked。
“Yes，sir。”saidWicks。“Trentismyname，andthisistheFlyingScudofHull。”
“Youseemtohavegotintoamess。”saidtheofficer。
“Ifyou’llstepaftwithmehere，I’lltellyouallthereisofit。”
saidWicks。
“Why，man，you’reshaking！”criedtheofficer。
“Sowouldyou，perhaps，ifyouhadbeeninthesameberth。”
returnedWicks；andhetoldthewholestoryoftherottenwater，thelongcalm，thesquall，theseamendrowned；gliblyandhotly；talking，withhisheadinthelion’smouth，likeonepleadinginthedock。IheardthesametalefromthesamenarratorinthesalooninSanFrancisco；andeventhenhisbearingfilledmewithsuspicion。Buttheofficerwasnoobserver。
“Well，thecaptainisinnoendofahurry。”saidhe；“butIwasinstructedtogiveyoualltheassistanceinmypower，andsignalbackforanotherboatifmorehandswerenecessary。
WhatcanIdoforyou？”
“O，wewon’tkeepyounotime。”repliedWickscheerily。
“We’reallready，blessyou——men’schests，chronometer，papersandall。”
“Doyoumeantoleaveher？”criedtheofficer。“Sheseemstometolienicely；can’twegetyourshipoff？”
“Sowecould，andnomistake；buthowwe’retokeepherafloat’sanotherquestion。Herbowsisstovein。”repliedWicks。
Theofficercolouredtotheeyes。Hewasincompetentandknewhewas；thoughthewasalreadydetected，andfearedtoexposehimselfagain。Therewasnothingfurtherfromhismindthanthatthecaptainshoulddeceivehim；ifthecaptainwaspleased，why，sowashe。“Allright。”hesaid。“Tellyourmentogettheirchestsaboard。”
“Mr。Goddedaal，turnthehandstotogetthechestsaboard。”
saidWicks。
ThefourCurrencyLasseshadwaitedthewhileontenter-
hooks。Thiswelcomenewsbrokeuponthemlikethesunatmidnight；andHaddenburstintoastormoftears，sobbingaloudasheheaveduponthetackle。Buttheworkwentnonethelessbrisklyforward；chests，men，andbundlesweregotoverthesidewithalacrity；theboatwasshovedoff；itmovedoutofthelongshadowoftheFlyingScud，anditsbowswerepointedatthepassage。
Somuch，then，wasaccomplished。Theshamwreckhadpassedmuster；theywereclearofher，theyweresafeaway；andthewaterwidenedbetweenthemandherdamningevidences。
Ontheotherhand，theyweredrawingnearertotheshipofwar，whichmightverywellprovetobetheirprisonandahangman’scarttobearthemtothegallows——ofwhichtheyhadnotyetlearnedeitherwhenceshecameorwhithershewasbound；andthedoubtweighedupontheirheartlikemountains。
ItwasWickswhodidthetalking。ThesoundwassmallinCarthew’sears，likethevoicesofmenmilesaway，butthemeaningofeachwordstruckhometohimlikeabullet。“Whatdidyousayyourshipwas？”inquiredWicks。
“Tempest，don’tyouknow？”returnedtheofficer。
Don’tyouknow？Whatcouldthatmean？Perhapsnothing：
perhapsthattheshipshadmetalready。Wickstookhiscourageinbothhands。“Whereisshebound？”heasked。
“O，we’rejustlookinginatallthesemiserableislandshere。”
saidtheofficer。“ThenwebearupforSanFrancisco。”
“O，yes，you’refromChinaways，likeus？”pursuedWicks。
“HongKong。”saidtheofficer，andspatovertheside。
HongKong。Thenthegamewasup；assoonastheysetfootonboard，theywouldbeseized；thewreckwouldbeexamined，thebloodfound，thelagoonperhapsdredged，andthebodiesofthedeadwouldreappeartotestify。AnimpulsealmostincontrollablebadeCarthewrisefromthethwart，shriekoutaloud，andleapoverboard；itseemedsovainathingtodissemblelonger，todallywiththeinevitable，tospinoutsomehundredsecondsmoreofagonisedsuspense，withshameanddeaththusvisiblyapproaching。ButtheindomitableWickspersevered。Hisfacewaslikeaskull，hisvoicescarcerecognisable；thedullestofmenandofficers(itseemed)musthaveremarkedthattelltalecountenanceandbrokenutterance。
Andstillhepersevered，bentuponcertitude。
“Niceplace，HongKong？”hesaid。
“I’msureIdon’tknow。”saidtheofficer。“Onlyadayandahalfthere；calledforordersandcamestraightonhere。Neverheardofsuchabeastlycruise。”AndhewentondescribingandlamentingtheuntowardfortunesoftheTempest。
ButWicksandCarthewheededhimnolonger。Theylaybackonthegunnel，breathingdeep，sunkinastuporofthebody：themindwithinstillnimblyandagreeablyatwork，measuringthepastdanger，exultinginthepresentrelief，numberingwithecstasytheirultimatechancesofescape。Forthevoyageintheman-of-wartheywerenowsafe；yetafewmoredaysofperil，activity，andpresenceofmindinSanFrancisco，andthewholehorridtalewasblottedout；andWicksagainbecameKirkup，andGoddedaalbecameCarthew——menbeyondallshotofpossiblesuspicion，menwhohadneverheardoftheFlyingScud，whohadneverbeeninsightofMidwayReef。
Sotheycamealongside，undermanycraningheadsofseamenandprojectingmouthsofguns；sotheyclimbedonboardsomnambulous，andlookedblindlyaboutthematthetallspars，thewhitedecks，andthecrowdingship’scompany，andheardmenasfromfaraway，andansweredthematrandom。
AndthenahandfellsoftlyonCarthew’sshoulder。
“Why，Norrie，oldchappie，wherehaveyoudroppedfrom？Alltheworld’sbeenlookingforyou。Don’tyouknowyou’vecomeintoyourkingdom？”
Heturned，beheldthefaceofhisoldschoolmateSebright，andfellunconsciousathisfeet。
Thedoctorwasattendinghim，awhilelater，inLieutenantSebright’scabin，whenhecametohimself。Heopenedhiseyes，lookedhardinthestrangeface，andspokewithakindofsolemnvigour。
“Brownmustgothesameroad。”hesaid；“nowornever。”Andthenpaused，andhisreasoncomingtohimwithmoreclearness，spokeagain：“WhatwasIsaying？WhereamI？
Whoareyou？”
“IamthedoctoroftheTempest。”wasthereply。“YouareinLieutenantSebright’sberth，andyoumaydismissallconcernfromyourmind。Yourtroublesareover，Mr。Carthew。”
“Whydoyoucallmethat？”heasked。“Ah，Iremember——
Sebrightknewme！O！”andhegroanedandshook。“SenddownWickstome；ImustseeWicksatonce！”hecried，andseizedthedoctor’swristwithunconsciousviolence。
“Allright。”saidthedoctor。“Let’smakeabargain。Youswallowdownthisdraught，andI’llgoandfetchWicks。”
Andhegavethewretchedmananopiatethatlaidhimoutwithintenminutesandinalllikelihoodpreservedhisreason。
Itwasthedoctor’snextbusinesstoattendtoMac；andhefoundoccasion，whileengageduponhisarm，tomakethemanrepeatthenamesoftherescuedcrew。Itwasnowtheturnofthecaptain，andthereisnodoubthewasnolongerthemanthatwehaveseen；suddenrelief，thesenseofperfectsafety，asquaremealandagoodglassofgrog，hadallcombinedtorelaxhisvigilanceanddepresshisenergy。
“Whenwasthisdone？”askedthedoctor，lookingatthewound。
“Morethanaweekago。”repliedWicks，thinkingsinglyofhislog。
“Hey？”criedthedoctor，andheraisedhishandandlookedthecaptainintheeyes。
“Idon’trememberexactly。”falteredWicks。
Andatthisremarkablefalsehood，thesuspicionsofthedoctorwereatoncequadrupled。
“Bytheway，whichofyouiscalledWicks？”heaskedeasily。
“What’sthat？”snappedthecaptain，fallingwhiteaspaper。
“Wicks。”repeatedthedoctor；“whichofyouishe？that’ssurelyaplainquestion。”
Wicksstareduponhisquestionerinsilence。
“WhichisBrown，then？”pursuedthedoctor。
“Whatareyoutalkingof？whatdoyoumeanbythis？”criedWicks，snatchinghishalf-bandagedhandaway，sothatthebloodsprinkledinthesurgeon’sface。
Hedidnottroubletoremoveit。Lookingstraightathisvictim，hepursuedhisquestions。“WhymustBrowngothesameway？”heasked。
Wicksfelltremblingonalocker。“Carthew’stoldyou。”hecried。
“No。”repliedthedoctor，“hehasnot。Butheandyoubetweenyouhavesetmethinking，andIthinkthere’ssomethingwrong。”
“Givemesomegrog。”saidWicks。“I’drathertellthanhaveyoufindout。I’mdamnedifit’shalfasbadaswhatanyonewouldthink。”
Andwiththehelpofacoupleofstronggrogs，thetragedyoftheFlyingScudwastoldforthefirsttime。
Itwasafortunateseriesofaccidentsthatbroughtthestorytothedoctor。Heunderstoodandpitiedthepositionofthesewretchedmen，andcamewhole-heartedlytotheirassistance。
HeandWicksandCarthew(sosoonashewasrecovered)heldahundredcouncilsandpreparedapolicyforSanFrancisco。Itwashewhocertified“Goddedaal“unfittobemovedandsmuggledCarthewashoreundercloudofnight；itwashewhokeptWicks’swoundopenthathemightsignwithhislefthand；
hewhotookalltheirChilesilverand(inthecourseofthefirstday)gotitconvertedforthemintoportablegold。Heusedhisinfluenceinthewardroomtokeepthetonguesoftheyoungofficersinorder，sothatCarthew’sidentificationwaskeptoutofthepapers。Andherenderedanotherserviceyetmoreimportant。HehadafriendinSanFrancisco，amillionaire；tothismanheprivatelypresentedCarthewasayounggentlemancomenewlyintoahugeestate，buttroubledwithJewdebtswhichhewastryingtosettleonthequiet。Themillionairecamereadilytohelp；anditwaswithhismoneythatthewreckergangwastobefought。Whatwashisname，outofathousandguesses？ItwasDouglasLonghurst。
