Closer approach showed the Boston ship to be a large square-rigged corvette carrying three heavy guns to a side; by name, the _Albemarle_. When he found that Deakin had nearly thirty men aboard his rover, Crawford grimaced at thought of his little bark with her crew of fourteen. Presently they were up the side of the ice-gripped corvette, and Crawford followed his host aft to the main cabin. A wild, shaggy crew of men they were who stared at him, and scurvy had brushed some of them with its hideous hand. Once down below, Crawford seated himself alone with Deakin, and a lanky boy fetched them pannikins of food and mugs of grog. A boatswain entered and asked for orders; Deakin gave them curtly, crisply, and dipped fingers in pannikin again. Crawford perceived that while this man was uncouth as any bear, he yet possessed strange depths of bravery, treachery, perhaps madness. “And now to talk!” Deakin swigged his rum, accepted the tobacco Crawford offered, and made a light. “What force have ye? Half down with scurvy, I’ll warrant.” “Force enough, and not a touch of scurvy so far.” “That’s a lie,” was the blunt response. Crawford’s blue eyes narrowed. “Softly, Master Deakin! Once for that word is enough. Any more of it and I’ll put steel into you! Guard your tongue better. Who was that man mangled by the bear?” “My lieutenant.” Deakin gazed unwinkingly at his visitor. In his bold stare lay a more deadly menace than that which Crawford had just put into voice. “Had been three year with me. What sort o’ ship have ye got?” “A bark.” Crawford put the light to his pipe and puffed. “I’m no pirate, as ye miscall me. I’ve no interest in furs or gain. I’m looking for the place that’s over the horizon, and count on getting help from you.” The shaggy brows drew down. “What place is it, then?” “Whatever may be there.” Crawford coolly put his hand inside his shirt, and drew out the Star of Dreams that hung on its thong. At sight of it, Deakin’s eyes opened wide. “The star, Cap’n Deakin--my star of dreams! I follow the sign. Call it a madman’s fancy, if ye like; I seek only freedom, clear action, a chance to be myself. I’m sick of the struggle for pelf and place and power--I want a fresher world. I have goods and provisions and gold aboard the bark, and need to rob naught from other men. If others--mark it well!--think to rob me, I have teeth and can use ’em.” “Others have teeth, for that matter,” said Moses Deakin, and those big eyes of his narrowed slightly as Crawford thrust away the star. “Blood and wounds! How d’ye expect me to believe such a tale? Who comes into these seas, but for furs?” “I do, for one,” was the cool response. “You have reason--use it! If I wanted loot, what easier than to take your ship? Then to seek that hidden trading post of yours and loot it. But that’s nonsense--we have no quarrel. Here’s what I want of you: Is it true, as pilots say, that from the northwest of this bay a passage leads to the south seas?”