At the Schooner’s Rail.

           Thatnightlandwassightedaftersundown,andtheschoonerhoveto.Montgomeryintimatedthatwashisdestination.Itwastoofartoseeanydetails;itseemedtomethensimplyalow-lyingpatchofdimblueintheuncertainblue-greysea.Analmostverticalstreakofsmokewentupfromitintothesky.Thecaptainwasnotondeckwhenitwassighted.Afterhehadventedhiswrathonmehehadstaggeredbelow,andIunderstandhewenttosleeponthefloorofhisowncabin.Thematepracticallyassumedthecommand.Hewasthegaunt,taciturnindividualwehadseenatthewheel.ApparentlyhewasinaneviltemperwithMontgomery.Hetooknottheslightestnoticeofeitherofus.Wedinedwithhiminasulkysilence,afterafewineffectualeffortsonmyparttotalk.Itstruckmetoothatthemenregardedmycompanionandhisanimalsinasingularlyunfriendlymanner.IfoundMontgomeryveryreticentabouthispurposewiththesecreatures,andabouthisdestination;andthoughIwassensibleofagrowingcuriosityastoboth,Ididnotpresshim.

           Weremainedtalkingonthequarterdeckuntiltheskywasthickwithstars.Exceptforanoccasionalsoundintheyellow-litforecastleandamovementoftheanimalsnowandthen,thenightwasverystill.Thepumalaycrouchedtogether,watchinguswithshiningeyes,ablackheapinthecornerofitscage.Montgomeryproducedsomecigars.HetalkedtomeofLondoninatoneofhalf-painfulreminiscence,askingallkindsofquestionsaboutchangesthathadtakenplace.