H. Bedford-Jones

“ Lava Island lay just to the south, a sharp triangle of bare rock studded with brush, conspicuous trees at north and west corners; all around the island broke snowy surf on the fringing reef, spray flying like molten silver under the level sun-rays. Three miles away was the desolate Simpson Reef, rising ten feet above the thundering surf ”

“ Trenchard felt lazy, sleepy, as he basked in the heat; but having dismissed Hazo, he felt it incumbent upon him to keep an eye on Forillon. He rather hoped, indeed, that knowing the worst, the man would somehow make a bolt for it or put up a fight—anything to serve as an excuse.
He mouthed his pipe and looked at Forillon. The latter had gone forward into the bows and was now sitting on the deck, leaning back against the capstan, smoking cigarettes. Trenchard lifted his eyes to the sea beyond. The schooner was heading to the north, the island behind her, as some current swung her stern ”

“ Presently the Sagittaire struck in with some reference to her near catch of the schooner at Boyanna Bay, then Brouillan began filling the air with queries as to whether anyone had heard anything from Forillon. At this, Trenchard wearily broke off and began to dismantle the set, which he placed behind a false panel in his cabin wall.
“The fools!” he muttered. “It hasn't occurred to any of them that I might be listening to their talk! I'd like to have a sending set—no, that would wake 'em up. As long as they take me for a fool like themselves, I'm safe.” ”

“ He went on deck, ordered the antenna dismantled, and watched the crew finish their paint job. Half an hour later the man aloft reported the sail of a dhow visible to the southeast, and Trenchard knew that his waiting was ended. Hazo came up to report that Forillon had breakfasted and was reading quietly.
Then the morning breeze began to die out, and the waves fell to climbing rollers that swelled and ran down the sea and passed on. The dhow, a big sixty-footer with two masts, came crawling up past Lava Island before her canvas flapped ”

“ HE went into the saloon cabin, a small room stuffed with books and charts, closed the door of the passage, and then closed the opening in the skylight above; the two ports were already open, and he left them so, for the heat here was nearly insufferable. Trenchard sat at the table, laid his pistol at his elbow, and then calmly began to smoke. Below him in the bowels of the ship he could hear a confused noise. Yusuf was breaking out the rifles hidden in the ballast. ”

“ Then Brouillan could have summoned up the Tonkin in a hurry. As it is, he's got us cornered and will make the capture himself. He's caught us, no doubt about that; but we have one chance. Slim and desperate as it is, it's a chance. ”