"It was like nothing but a return from hell. The wind held us in a solid blast; but to feel the deck grow quiet, to be able to think, to speak, to hear ... to see the land close aboard.... By Jove, we were saved!—it seemed more incredible than the adventure itself. Heads began to bob up forward, faces drawn with terror, frantic with relief—the faces of men who had lost and found a world. "A voice spoke gruffly beside us. ’By God, I hope you’re satisfied!’ We turned to see Wilbur standing at the head of the cross-rail. A twitching face belied the nonchalance that he’d attempted to throw into the words. It was a new phase of the man; his former perfect poise was stripped off like a mask, revealing an inner nature without force or quality, a common empty soul. The very assumption of coolness, a reflex of his over-powering relief, disclosed weakness instead of strength, impotence instead of authority. "’I don’t know how we managed to come through!’ he snarled ’In the name of God, what made you try it? Nothing but luck—and now the typhoon’s leaving us. We can haul up here until the wind goes down’ "’Is that all, Captain, that you have to say?’ inquired Lee Fu, his attention still riveted on the course of the sampan. "Wilbur clutched the rail as if he would tear it from its fastenings. ’A damned sight more, you blackguards, but I’ll save that for the authorities!’ "’You feel no thanks for your escape—and there is nothing on your mind?’ "’We shouldn’t have needed to escape, if you hadn’t gone crazy. Come, let’s wind up this farce and get to anchor somewhere. I’m fagged out’ "’No, we are going on’ said Lee Fu calmly, making no move to bring the sampan into the wind ’No time for rest, Captain; the voyage is not over’ "’Going on?...’ Wilbur’s glance swept the sea ahead. Until that moment, I suppose, he thought he had won the battle; he hadn’t dreamed that Lee Fu, after such a miraculous escape, would again put us all in jeopardy. He saw that, on the course we were holding, in a very brief interval we should leave the protection of the headland. What lay beyond, it was impossible to discover through the murk. He turned back fiercely; for a moment he and Lee Fu gazed deep into each other’s eyes, in a grapple that gave no quarter. "’Yes, Captain!’ said Lee Fu sharply ’We have not yet reached the spot where the _Speedwell_ met her doom. I cannot waste further time in talk. Return to your station, before I am forced to threaten you again.... This is merely an interlude’ *IX*