"By the way, what of Monsieur de Poincilit?" said Courtenay. "I saw
him come aboard with Malcolm, but he dived into the saloon, and has not
reappeared. Is he ill?"
Gray's mouth set like a steel trap; his eyes had a glint in them. He
seemed to be unwilling to speak; when words came, they were cold and
measured.
"I haven't any use for that fellow," he said. "I suppose the
unpleasant story must be told sooner or later, so here goes. In the
first place, Poincilit forgot that I understood Spanish, and I heard
him yelping to the Chileans in the jolly-boat that if we took any more
people on board we should be swamped. It was he who put the notion in
their heads to cast off while you were lowering Miss Baring's maid into
my arms. I tried to forget that, as he was blue-white with fear, and
some fellows are not responsible for their actions when their liver
melts. But I can never forget his action on the island. Yesterday
morning I was just in time to stop him and four others from sneaking
off in the life-boat with all our provisions."
Courtenay's face hardened too.
"Necessity may have no laws," said he; "but I fancy I should have found
a code to meet his case."
"I have organized a Vigilance Committee in my time, and its articles
kind of fitted in," was the American's quiet reply. "That is why I
have a few recent knife-cuts distributed about my skin; I began to
shoot and we were two short on the muster roll next day. De Poincilit
ran, and fell on his knees. So did a skunk of an Italian, and I did
not want to waste cartridges. They were tied back to back until we
sailed to-day."
"And the fifth?"
"The fifth was a woman."
"Huh!" Boyle reached out for a bottle of wine and refilled his glass.
For a little while there was silence. Then Courtenay muttered: "Poor devil of a Count! 'She gave me of the tree and I did eat.' Did
he blame the woman?"
"Well, yes. But it was a mean business, any how."
"Better sponge it off the slate, eh?"
"I agree heartily. Drink up, Boyle, and pass the buck. I have a five
years' thirst."
They talked until day-break; then Courtenay turned in. He did not
appear on deck again until noon. By that time the Kansas had lost
all marks of the fight excepting the smashed windows, and a sailor who
understood the glazier's art was replacing the broken glass. Making
the round of the ship, the captain found Elsie sitting with Isobel and
Mrs. Somerville on the promenade deck. She was binding Joey's foot,
and he knew then why the dog had scampered off on three legs as soon as
the cabin door was opened.