by the name of George." 'He paused to stare, tried to smile, turned his eyes away and went on.
"That little second puts his head right under my nose, 'Why, it's that blasted mate!' 'What!' howls the skipper from the other end of the boat.
'No!' shrieks the chief.

And he too stooped to look at my face." 'The wind had left the boat suddenly.

The rain began to fall again, and the soft, uninterrupted, a little mysterious sound with which the sea receives a shower arose on all sides in the night.

"They were too taken aback to say anything more at first," he narrated steadily, "and what could I have to say to them ?" He faltered for a moment, and made an effort to go on.

"They called me horrible names." His voice, sinking to a whisper, now and then would leap up suddenly, hardened by the passion of scorn, as though he had been talking of secret abominations.