"These facts were as patent to Wilbur as to any of us. It was his knowledge, of course, that finally was his undoing; had he been less of a sailor, or had he been entirely ignorant of the sea, he could have resigned himself to the situation, on the assumption that those who were sailing the craft wouldn’t put themselves in actual danger. Perhaps Lee Fu had realized this when he’d chosen the sea as the medium of justice; perhaps he had glimpsed the profound and subtle truth that Wilbur couldn’t properly be broken save in his native environment. He knew the sea, he had trifled with it; then let him face the sea. "The time came, just before we lost the loom of the land, when Wilbur could stand it no longer; as a sailor, used to responsibility and authority, he had to speak his mind. He knew that the situation was growing very dangerous.... For my part, I had become convinced by now that it was irretrievable; it began to look as if we’d burned our last bridge behind us. I didn’t pretend to understand; Lee Fu seemed reckless beyond measure, he had apparently given away his cards without trying to play them. One thing was certain—if some way couldn’t be found to hold up this mad race immediately, we should be forced in the next five minutes to run the gauntlet of the typhoon in open water. "Wilbur dropped aft beside Lee Fu, and made a funnel of his hands. "’You’re running to your death!’ he shouted. ’Do you realize what you’re doing? You’ve already lost Pootoy. If you can’t haul up and make the lee of the Lema Islands...’ "’I intend to pass nowhere near them—and I know exactly what I am doing’ answered Lee Fu, keeping his eyes on the yawing bow of the sampan. "’There’s nothing to the eastward ... no more shelter..." "’Of that I am aware’ "’Do you know the meaning of _that_?’ Wilbur pointed wildly above the stern rail, into the face of the onrushing storm. "’I think we shall get the centre of the typhoon, Captain, by noon of tomorrow’ "Wilbur made a move as if to grasp the tiller. ’Haul up, you fool!...’ "A stray gleam in the gathering darkness caught the barrel of the revolver, as Lee Fu steered for a moment with one hand. "’Beware, Captain! You are the fool; would you broach us to, and end it now? One thing alone will send me to seek the last shelter; and for that thing I think you are not ready’ "’What?’ "’To say that you sank the _Speedwell_, as I have indicated’ "Wilbur gathered his strength as if to strike; his face was distorted with passion. "’You lie, you yellow hound!’ "’Exactly.... Captain, be careful—come no nearer! Also, leave me now, and go away, for I have work to do. If you value your life, you will keep silence, and stay a little forward. Go, quickly! Here I could shoot you with even greater impunity’" *VIII*