“At least, until I can refit,” he went on. “Now, I’m not the man to use force when I can employ a milder treatment; and, besides, you’ve proved yourself a very adaptable person, and, as such, I’ll admit I admire you.” I eyed him closely, scenting sarcasm, but his face held none. “Furthermore,” he concluded, “you’re a man of your word; that I know.” “All of which----” I began. “All of which leads up, as I have intimated, to the choice, which is very much like the one I offered you before. Simply stated, you are, here and now, to give me your word to remain in my party until we reach Savannah.” “The alternative?” I demanded. “Is sufficiently severe in justifying your course to superiors.” He crossed his wrists, suggesting handcuffs, and I knew he meant what he said, for the very metal rang in his voice. At heart I was positively glad that the one course lay open, and it was a course any sane man would have to take. “Why, that’s no choice, Mr. Stroth!” I exclaimed, laughing; “it’s an invitation, which I gladly accept. You have my word; I’m yours to Savannah.” He joined my laugh, and we shook hands on it. “I’m going to give you absolute freedom, Grey,” said he, “even to ‘shore leave.’ Fact is, after breakfast, you can do as you like, and we’ll----” “Bleakfas’, sir!” announced the Jap, Saki, at his elbow, and the sentence wasn’t finished as we strode, hunger-whetted, to the dining saloon. CHAPTER XVI. A PICNIC. Both Stella Stroth and Stevens were already at table, and the girl seemed to be in the highest sort of spirits. From the very second of my arrival she kept me jumping from subject to subject in a sparkling joy of life. Little showed of that pensive mood of last night’s moonlight. Stroth and Stevens soon became engrossed in plans for the refitting of the schooner, no small task under the circumstances; but little of the more serious talk got to me, for the girl kept me busy. Presently she burst out with: “Oh, daddy, have you still got my canoe aboard?” Not a trace of annoyance at her interruption showed in the father’s manner as he replied: “I just reckon we have, honey. It’s below deck, of course; somewhere beknownst to old Steve; he stowed it away carefully. Why, do you want it?” She turned to me happily. “Wouldn’t it be just great to paddle over to the beach yonder?” she cried. “Why, we might even catch some fish, Mr. Grey.” I glanced at Stroth, who smiled back meaningly. “I’m afraid we’d be sort of deserters, and----” I began. “Oh, shucks! Daddy, we couldn’t help fix the schooner, anyway, could we? We’d just be in the way, wouldn’t we?” Stroth replied easily: “Well, honey, I don’t want Grey, here, to take it as a slight, but I really don’t think he could be of much service, for we’ve plenty of men. And so that is not at all a bad suggestion.” “Ah, you hear that, Mr. Grey?” she cried delightedly, tossing down her napkin. “Come on, let’s get old Steve!”