I could imagine under the pellucid emptiness of the sky these four men imprisoned in the solitude of the sea, the lonely sun, regardless of the speck of life, ascending the clear curve of the heaven as if to gaze ardently from a greater height at his own splendour reflected in the still ocean.

"They called out to me from aft," said Jim, "as though we had been chums together.

I heard them.

They were begging me to be sensible and drop that 'blooming piece of wood.' Why _would_ I carry on so?
They hadn't done me any harm--had they?
There had been no harm.

.