Where there is one of those horrible things there are others, I suppose." Jenks smiled.

Somehow he knew that this strict adherence to business was a cloak for her real thoughts.

Already these two were able to dispense with spoken word.
But he sedulously adopted her pretext.
"That is one reason why I brought the crowbars," he explained.

"If you will sit down for a little while I will have everything properly fixed." He delved with one of the bars until it lodged in a crevice of the coral.

Then a few powerful blows with the back of the axe wedged it firmly enough to bear any ordinary strain.