And how she would play
off the Count against the captain! They ought to be at daggers drawn
long before the Straits of Magellan were reached. Certainly she never
expected such sport on board such a humdrum ship as the _Kansas_.
Suddenly they both heard an excited bark from the dog, and the quick
rush of feet along the deck; Courtenay's voice reached them with a new
and startling note in it.
"Stop that!" he shouted.
There was an instant's pause. Their alert ears caught the sounds of a
distant scuffle. Then a pistol shot jarred the peaceful drone of the
ship.
"Sheer off, there!" roared Courtenay again. "Next time I shoot to
kill!"--
With terror in their eyes, with blanched cheeks, they rushed to the
door and peeped out. Courtenay was not to be seen, but the officer of
the watch was swinging himself over the canvas shield of the bridge.
He disappeared. Joey, barking furiously, trotted into view and ran
back again. Creeping forward, they saw the stolid sailor within the
chart-house squint at the compass and give the wheel a slight turn.
That was reassuring. Yet another timorous pace, and through the
curving window they could discern Courtenay, holding a revolver in his
right hand, but behind his back.
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