41 Lure O Gold 1904

IV
IN WHICH I AM RELIEVED OF MY BURDEN
r
I TURNED toward the beach.
The crowd there had
thinned perceptibly and had lost the one-eyed man and
the man in the dark-brown sweater. Some of the pas
sengers had wrapped themselves in great-coats or blan
kets and were lying in the sand, fast asleep. Others
sprawled or sat about, talking and reading, and a few
were strolling up and down the shingle, idly,
and, as I
regarded it, all too good-naturedly, seeing they were
so belated by the stupid master mariner, who, I began
to suspect, cared little for his craft or the fate of the
people who were to risk their lives and treasure in her.
I heard a cheery voice among the crowd Doctor
Quaritch s beyond question. He came down to the
edge of the wet sand, while I walked to the after end
of the lighter.
By his side was a grinning little Japan
ese, who was carrying the black bag.
"Hullo, John!" called out the Doctor. "I heard
your Flying Mist hadn t sailed yet, so I dropped down
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